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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
DENVER (AP) -- Brian Giles could only shake his head and stare at
the carpet in the visitors clubhouse at Coors Field.
The Pittsburgh Pirates saw a likely victory turn into defeat
when the Colorado Rockies scored two runs on right fielder Alex
Ramirez's error with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, giving
them a 4-3 victory Wednesday.
"What next?" Giles said after Pittsburgh fell 17 games below
.500 (48-65) for the first time this year. "What else can go wrong
that hasn't?"
It was the first time the Pirates blew a lead after eight
innings in 39 games this season, and 54 dating back to Aug. 24
last year.
It was tough enough to have manager Gene Lamont give his
briefest postgame remarks of the season.
"I really don't have a hell of a lot to say," Lamont said. "I
don't want to talk about it. You guys can write your own story
today.
"I will not talk about the game. I just don't want to talk."
The last time the Pirates lost a lead like this was against the
same Rockies and with the same pitcher, Mike Williams.
Todd Walker drew a one-out walk from Williams (2-3), who blew
his fourth save in 20 opportunities. After Walker stole second, Ben
Petrick reached on shortstop Mike Benjamin's error, putting runners
on first and second. One out later, Juan Pierre hit a routine fly
to right that deflected off Ramirez's glove and rolled all the way
to the wall, allowing the tying and winning runs to score.
"There are no excuses to be made because I didn't lose the ball
in the sun," Ramirez said. "I make that catch 499 out of 500
times and today must have been the 500th time."
Gabe White (8-1) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings for the win.
"It's about time," said Colorado manager Buddy Bell, whose
team has won only 10 times in 35 games. "That was a huge break. We
will accept it and we deserve it."
Pittsburgh's Kris Benson allowed seven hits and two runs in
seven innings to remain winless in his last six starts.
Giles hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth, and Benjamin
had three hits for the Pirates.
Julian Tavarez, who had 250 consecutive relief appearances
before making three straight starts, gave up two runs -- one earned
-- four hits and two walks in seven innings for Colorado.
Larry Walker and Pierre had two hits apiece, and reserve catcher
Petrick homered for the Rockies.
John Vander Wal gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI
single in the fourth inning. Benjamin doubled over left fielder
Todd Hollandsworth's head, moved to third on Giles' groundout and
scored on Vander Wal's bloop single to center.
The Rockies tied it in their half of the fourth on Larry
Walker's leadoff double to left and Jeff Cirillo's RBI single to
right.
Pittsburgh got a break in the seventh when Larry Walker dropped
Kevin Young's routine fly ball in right for a two-base error. Young
moved to third on Vander Wal's groundout and scored on Aramis
Ramirez's sacrifice fly, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead.
Petrick tied the game 2-2 in the bottom half with his first
homer of the year, a solo shot to left.
"I'm just trying to hang in and I got a pitch to hit," Petrick
said. "I was able to help out and get a run in."
In the eighth, Adrian Brown drew a one-out walk from Craig House
and went to third on Benjamin's single. White relieved and Giles
hit a fly ball to deep right to score Brown.
"The guys aren't going out to make errors or not score runs
when I'm pitching," said Benson, who was the pitcher of record
before Ramirez's error. "I am going through what Jason Schmidt
went through last year, where if a mistake or key error is going to
happen, it is when I am pitching."
Game notes
Schmidt will have season-ending rotator cuff surgery early
next week. ... Pittsburgh RHP Todd Ritchie threw on the side Wednesday and will start Saturday instead of Friday in the weekend
series with Arizona. ... The Pirates were homerless for a
season-high fifth straight game and outhomered 44-21 the last 31
games. ... In 52 games decided by two runs or less, the Pirates are
20-32. ... Pierre is the 16th player to bat leadoff in the
eight-year history of the Rockies. ... Colorado OF Jeffrey Hammonds
was given the day off. ... Petrick's home run was his first since a
two-homer game against Arizona's Randy Johnson on Sept. 22, 1999.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
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NY Yankees 12
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