Pirates hope to find offense against Rockies

Few teams are having as much trouble scoring runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates, who begin a three-game series against the visiting Colorado Rockies on Friday.

Few teams are having as much trouble scoring runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates, who begin a three-game series against the visiting Colorado Rockies on Friday.

Pittsburgh is 5-16 over its past 21 contests, averaging 2.5 runs in that span. Shortstop Oneil Cruz is hitting .239 with three home runs for the Pirates, who have lost four straight and seven of their last eight.

Colorado can certainly relate to the Pirates' frustration. The Rockies fell to a National League-worst 7-24 with a 10-inning, 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins on Thursday.

Colorado has lost five straight and has not won a series this season. The Rockies have trailed at one point in each of their first 31 games, which is a modern-era major league record.

First baseman Elehuris Montero is 4-for-28 (.143) over his past seven games for the Rockies, who struck out 16 times and went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position during the latest loss.

The Rockies held a team meeting on Thursday following their second extra-inning defeat in the past three games. They have been outscored 36-17 during the five-game skid.

The first inning has been especially unkind to Colorado, which has been outscored 39-15 in the opening frame this season. The Rockies will aim for a better start against Pittsburgh, which is beginning a 10-day, nine-game homestand.

"Morale is fine," Colorado manager Bud Black said. "Guys are playing their (butts) off. We're just not getting the clutch hit, or making a big pitch. ... Our guys, man, they're fighting. It's just not happening, and we're not doing a lot offensively.

"I talked to them after the game and, you know, they're frustrated because of the tough losses. But, man, this group has a lot of heart. We're just not getting it done on the field."

Pirates manager Derek Shelton expressed concern with his team's trajectory after Pittsburgh lost three straight road games against the Oakland Athletics this week. The Pirates were held to four hits in a 4-0 loss in the series finale on Wednesday.

"We've got to get better," Shelton said. "This is a situation where we need to focus and we need to get better."

Outfielder Bryan Reynolds is 4-for-25 (.160) over his last six games for Pittsburgh, which has gone 2-for-36 (.056) with runners in scoring position during that stretch.

"We have not had a hot streak offensively," Pirates hitting coach Andy Haines said. "We will. I believe in the work they're doing. I believe in the evaluation of those players. It's our job to make this (slump) we're in shorter."

Pittsburgh will send left-hander Martin Perez (1-1, 2.86 ERA) to the mound in the series opener. The 33-year-old has allowed two runs or fewer in four of his first six starts.

Perez received a no-decision after allowing one run, which was unearned, on four hits over six innings against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday. He has yielded just one home run in 34 2/3 innings this season.

Charlie Blackmon is 6-for-10 against Perez, who has gone 2-2 with a 3.74 ERA in six career starts vs. Colorado.

The Rockies will counter with right-hander Cal Quantrill (0-3, 5.34 ERA), who allowed six runs over five-plus innings in a 12-4 loss to the Houston Astros on Saturday in Mexico City.

Reynolds is 4-for-7 against Quantrill, who is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in four career games (three starts) vs. Pittsburgh.

--Field Level Media