Michael Lorenzen was looking to continue and get back on the winning track this season for the Colorado Rockies. Unfortunately, Lorenzen and Colorado could not clinch a series sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday at Coors Field.

Lorenzen went 5.1 innings and gave up four runs as the Pirates had to hold off a fierce Colorado comeback and get an 8-6 win. Lorenzen falls to 2-9 this season as he allowed seven hits, walked one, struck out five, and now has a 7.11 ERA.

Pirates manager Don Kelly put right-handed pitcher Jared Jones on the mound. Jones went three innings, giving up one hit, one earned run, two walks, and three strikeouts. Johan Ramirez worked the fourth and fifth innings, eventually picking up the win. Ramirez is now 5-2 on the season.

Pittsburgh used four additional relief pitchers and they were able to put the stops on the Rockies.

Colorado had an early chance to put up a crooked number on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning. The Rockies had the bases loaded with nobody out. Designated hitter Sterlin Thompson hit into an RBI groundout and Colorado went up 1-0. But the Rockies couldn't get anymore runs on the board.

In the top of the fourth, Pittsburgh's Nick Gonzales hit his third homer this season. Bryan Reynolds, who was on base, scored ahead of Gonzales and the Pirates went up 2-1. Jared Triolo's RBI double in the top of the fifth inning stretched Pittsburgh's lead to 3-1.

Then, in the top of the sixth with runners on first and third base, Pittsburgh's Tyler Callihan singled to right and Gonzales scored to give Pittsburgh a 4-1 advantage. On the hit, Rockies right fielder Tyler Freeman threw a spot-on throw to third baseman Kyle Karros and Endy Rodriguez was out at third.

Reynolds stepped up to the plate in the top of the seventh and hit a majestic three-run blast way into the second deck at Coors Field in right field. Spencer Horwitz and Brandon Lowe scored ahead of Reynolds. Pittsburgh then staked itself to an 8-1 lead at this point.

But the Rockies were not going down without a fight.

In the bottom of the eighth, TJ Rumfield, who remains on a hot streak for the Rockies, slammed a three-run homer and got Colorado back into the game at 8-4. Jake McCarthy and Willi Castro crossed home plate ahead of Rumfield.

Colorado got within 8-6 in the bottom of the ninth and had a runner on first base. Castro, though, hit a sharp grounder to shortstop and the Pirates turned a game-ending double play.

Yes, the Rockies did win the series over Pittsburgh, but they probably wanted a sweep, too. Colorado now goes to 30-48 on the season and remains in last place in the National League West Division. As for the Buckos, they go back to .500 at 39-39 and are still in fourth place in the NL East.

The Rockies will open a three-game series at Coors Field on Monday night against the Boston Red Sox. They still want to pick up another series victory and, in reality, Colorado can do so. Boston has not had a good season, and the Red Sox might be ripe for the picking.

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