DENVER (AP) -- The deciding home run came in the ninth, but Todd Helton resuscitated the Colorado Rockies four innings earlier.

Helton hit two homers, a game-tying drive in the fifth and a solo shot leading off the ninth Saturday to lift the Colorado Rockies over the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6.

Usually even-tempered, Helton celebrated his mid-game three-run homer with a high-five around first base and an animated arm-bashing session with teammates at home plate.

"I thought it was a big swing in the game, and I just wanted the momentum to turn in our favor and it did," Helton said. "That was to tie the game. To come back from five runs, it was a crucial time in the game."

Helton, who ended an 0-for-13 slide with two hits Friday night, went 4-for-4 and raised his average to .406. He has three multihomer games this season and 11 in his career.

To celebrate, he planned to go bass fishing with his older brother, Rodney -- a contrast to his extended pre-game workouts with hitting instructor Clint Hurdle.

"The bat felt like it was 300 pounds in my hands and I thought I was getting way weak and I was getting worried," Helton said. "I really can't say I'm out of the woods yet as far as my swing mechanics, but I made strides today."

Jason Kendall, with his father watching from the Colorado bullpen, went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and Wil Cordero added a two-run homer for the Pirates.

"It's all about winning," said Kendall, who's dad, Fred, is Colorado's catching coach. "It's a tough game to lose. You just put it behind you and do it again tomorrow."

Colorado erased an early 5-0 deficit and got an impressive effort from relievers Julian Tavarez and Gabe White (4-0). The two held Pittsburgh to one run and three hits in 4 1/3 innings.

"This is a special team," White said. "These guys never quit. I think Coors Field teaches you to do that. These guys battle and battle and battle and it's definitely contagious. Guys just come alive and then it gets pretty ugly for the other teams."

The bullpen set the stage for Helton as he hit the first pitch from Jason Christiansen (1-3) into the bullpen beyond right field for his 15th homer of the season.

Incidentally, Helton was going to be Christiansen's last batter of the day. Pirates manager Gene Lamont was set to bring in right-hander Rich Loiselle, but it never got to that point.

"I threw him a slider," Christiansen said. "I was trying to get it over for a strike to try to get ahead of him but it lifted over the plate and it got hammered. He's hot."

Pittsburgh, which had won five straight in Denver dating to 1998, took a 6-5 lead in the seventh when Cordero bounced into a double play with runners at first and third.

Colorado tied the game in its half of the seventh when Helton walked, went to second on a bloop single, moved to third on another walk and scored on a wild pitch by Christiansen.

Helton capped a five-run fifth with his opposite-field home run to left against Todd Ritchie. The homer came on the 10th pitch of the at-bat as Helton fouled off five pitches with two strikes.

"There's some low-maintenance guys on this club and he's at the top of the list," Rockies manager Buddy Bell said. "You'll have an 0-for-13 maybe 10 times throughout the season. That bothers him, and like any good hitter, he went to work."

Colorado left-hander Scott Karl didn't make it out of the fifth in his first start in 13 days and could be in danger of losing his spot in the rotation altogether.

Karl gave up single runs in the first and second and then a 450-foot homer to Cordero in the third. He left after Kevin Young's soft RBI single scored Kendall to make it 5-0.

Game notes
Rockies OF Larry Walker threw Saturday for the first time since going on the disabled list 16 days ago with an injured right elbow. Walker threw softly for about 10 minutes from 50-90 feet. ... Kendall extended his hitting streak to 12 games and has reached base in 24 straight. ... Colorado OF Jeffrey Hammonds left the game after the fourth with a strained left hip flexor. He sustained the injury when he slammed into the wall in foul territory trying to catch a fly ball in the first. ... Ritchie has given up 19 earned runs in his last four outings -- seven more than in his first six starts. ... Tavarez threw 3 1/3 innings in relief -- his longest outing since June 27, 1998.