Bucs win makeup game, take series from Rox

May 23rd, 2016

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates survived another tight ninth inning, earning a 6-3 victory over the Rockies on Monday afternoon in a makeup of Sunday's rainout at PNC Park.
With the Bucs leading, 2-0, in the second inning, pitcher Ryan Vogelsong was hit in the head by Rockies pitcher Jordan Lyles -- who was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque for this series -- and immediately crumpled to the ground. Vogelsong was carted off the field with an eye injury and replaced by Wilfredo Boscan, recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
Boscan pitched four innings, giving up two earned runs and striking out two to earn his first Major League win. Due to Vogelsong's injury, Boscan had to enter the game earlier than expected.
Somber Lyles hoping for best for Vogelsong
"I definitely felt a little pressure, but right away just tried to get myself mentally prepared," Boscan said through translator Mike Gonzalez. "And then I was able to get on that mound and give it my best. I understood I needed to go a couple extra innings, and I was ready for that."
The Pirates scored four runs in the third inning, with a throwing error by Rockies first baseman Mark Reynolds allowing Francisco Cervelli to reach base and Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco to score. Boscan followed with his first big league hit and RBI to stretch the Bucs' lead to 6-0.
"[Boscan] got his first win, first hit, first RBI," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "That's a pretty good day."

The Rockies chipped away, getting on the board on Charlie Blackmon's two-run double in the fifth and scoring once in the ninth while getting the potential tying run to the plate vs. closer Mark Melancon, who retired Ryan Raburn on a flyout to end the game.
"We had a shot in the ninth," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. "We were down, 6-0, and ended up getting their closer in the game. I thought we fought back. We couldn't get much going offensively.
"The guy they brought in [Boscan], we hadn't seen before. He pitched backwards and certainly had us off balance. He did a good job for them."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Injury report: In the second inning, Vogelsong was hit in the head by a pitch from Lyles. The ball appeared to graze Vogelsong's helmet before striking his left eye, and he was carted off the field with a towel covering his face. After the game, head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk said Vogelsong sustained a left eye injury, which could include the orbital region of the skull. More >

Lending a hand: After leaving the Pirates' 5-1 loss on Saturday due to left hand discomfort, Jung Ho Kang returned on Monday. Kang hurt his hand while attempting to slide home face-first and grab the plate, but he made contact with catcher Tony Wolters' leg instead. Kang pinch-hit for Boscan, flying out to deep left-center.
Always available: Lefty Chris Rusin, who moved into the starting rotation in April but was moved back to the bullpen to make room for Jorge De La Rosa (who starts Tuesday at Boston), replaced an ineffective and no-doubt shaken Lyles in the third. Rusin performed well, allowing just one inherited runner to score in the frame on the way to 4 2/3 scoreless innings, with two hits and four strikeouts. But by the time he took the mound, the Rockies were well on their way to dropping the series and falling to 2-4 on a nine-game road trip.
"My ball was moving pretty good today; I had a good sinker," Rusin said. "I was able to get a lot of ground balls." More >

Well, the table was set: Blackmon opened the game with a double to right-center, and in the fifth, he added the two-run double to right. But he was stranded each time.

QUOTABLE
"He got a lot of experience coming up and not pitching, so now the experience that follows of just getting in the game, I think he's happy that it's come this way."
-- Hurdle, on Boscan pitching four innings in his second Major League appearance this season after being recalled from Triple-A three times prior and not getting into a game
"Even watching on TV, when somebody gets hit in the face or the head, it's like, 'This is not fun.' I didn't like the sound. It just scared me."
-- Cervelli, on his reaction to Vogelsong's injury
REPLAY REVIEW
In the second inning, the Pirates challenged a call ruling Harrison out at first base. The call was overturned and Harrison was awarded a single. Harrison was picked off and caught stealing in the fifth inning, and the call stood despite another challenge.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
This game was originally scheduled for Sunday before a three-hour and 37-minute rain delay resulted in it being postponed and made up Monday. That delay is the longest in PNC Park history.
WHAT'S NEXT
Rockies: A return to form for De La Rosa (1-3, 10.18 ERA) would be quite welcome when he returns to the rotation against the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday at 5:10 p.m. MT. He struggled before being placed on the disabled list in late April with a left groin strain. This is where the Rockies hope for a repeat of his pattern in recent years -- struggles in April, followed by better times in May. He's had May ERAs of 2.08 in 2013, 1.93 in '14 and 4.79 last year.
Pirates: The Bucs (24-19) will face the D-backs in the final series of their 10-game homestand, led by left-hander Francisco Liriano (3-3, 4.63 ERA) in Tuesday's opener at 7:05 ET.
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