DENVER -- In baseball, they say momentum is only as good as the next day's starting pitcher. In Colorado, momentum plays second fiddle to the weather, which always bats last.
The Pirates had to put their hopes of a four-game sweep of the Rockies on hold as Thursday's finale between the Pirates and Rockies was postponed due to weather at approximately 1:30 p.m. ET. The temperature at the time was 37 degrees with a mix of snow and rain, and there was continued precipitation called for throughout the day.
"It's always interesting," manager Clint Hurdle said of the snowy morning. "I left a pair of shoes in the hotel room, my wife pointed out. I said, 'Well, you can use them as snow shoes or earmuffs when you check out today.'"
A make-up date hasn't been announced yet. Pittsburgh doesn't return to Colorado this season, but the two teams have ample opportunity to get together for a one-game make-up, with a number of shared off-days throughout the rest of the season. Every available day would require approval of the Players Association, since any available makeup date would mean the number of games played without an off-day would exceed the standards.
The Pirates' pitching rotation will remain intact, with each pitcher's start pushed back a day. Juan Nicasio, Francisco Liriano and Jeff Locke will start in succession for the Reds' series. Gerrit Cole, Jonathon Niese, and Nicasio will pitch the last three games of the homestand against the Cubs.
The Pirates were looking to win their ninth game in a row at Coors Field, which includes a four-game sweep from Sept. 21-24, 2015, and the last game played in Colorado on July 27, 2014. The Angels also have an active eight-game winning streak at Coors Field to share the mark for longest win streak for a visiting team at the park.