PIRATES

The Pirates didn't just get limited by another left-handed pitcher in their 4-3 loss to the Rockies here tonight at Coors Field. They were held in check by one who'd entered this particular night with one win in 12 starts and a 7.98 ERA that ranked as the worst among all qualified starting pitchers in Major League Baseball. 

The numbers behind Kyle Freeland's previous eight starts alone: 0-5, 10.42 ERA, 38 IP, 66 H, 46 R, 44 ER, 12 home runs. And there was really no answer for him through the first seven innings. 

The Pirates, who trailed 2-0 after seven, did manage to get to Freeland at the end of an outing in which he allowed two runs on four hits over 7 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walking none. But, before a three-run eighth that included an RBI single by Bryan Reynolds, an RBI double by Jared Triolo and an RBI triple by Nick Gonzales, 16 straight batters were retired prior to Esmerlyn Valdez starting the rally with a one-out double. 

"I didn’t think our at-bats were very good at the beginning," Don Kelly said. "He kept us off balance and I didn’t think we did a good job, but we were able to stay with it and found some ways to score some runs in the eighth." 

The Pirates' struggles against lefty are nothing new: They're hitting .229.

Kelly lauded Freeland for the use of his knuckle-curve, a pitch he turned to 26 times and kept batters hitless. He threw it for strikes, got some chase with three of his 10 whiffs and then kept hitters off balance with his fastball. 

“We stayed with it and we found a way to score some runs late against them, which was encouraging," Kelly said. "We just need to get more.”