Denver – Chad Bettis was not good once again, allowing five runs in just three innings. Luckily for him, his counterpart, Jeff Locke of the Pirates, gave up 11 earned runs in less than five innings of action. Jorge De La Rosa would stop the damage and shut down the Pittsburgh Pirates for four innings, retiring 12 straight, which allowed the Rockies to get out on top and win 11-5.

DJ LeMahieu went three-for-three with two walks, knocking in three while nailing a two-run shot that all but iced this hot contest in the fourth. Arenado’s cool defensive play was on display once again, but he and the Rockies did not succumb to the Freese as they stayed warm on this scorching afternoon.

Pittsburgh plated one on a single in the first, but the Rockies came right back with four in the bottom half of the inning. Four hits, two extra-baggers (one by Ryan Raburn the other LeMahieu) propelled them to a lead they would never relinquish against those pesky Pirates.

In the second, Nolan Arenado doubled home two runs but the Pirates came back with four in the third, three of which came off of a David Freese three-run bomb, which knocked Bettis from the game. De La Rosa, Justin Miller and Chad Qualls shut down the Bucos the rest of the day while the Rockies knocked in five runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

Highlighted by LeMahieu’s home run, the Colorado offense was able to clobber the opposing club in this make-up contest.

“I was looking for a fastball, and I took a good swing on it,” LeMahieu told following the game. “We got on them early and we really keep it on the whole time, it was one of the quickest turnarounds I’ve had and it was good to see us play the way we did under the circumstances.”

The Rockies had the rare home day game after a road game at night, and the Pirates played this one game makeup while in the middle of a home-stand, forcing some odd travel arrangements.

“Coming off a nice series win on the road in the division, to come here and play a very good Pirate team and get a W, good stuff,” Rockies skipper Walt Weiss told. “We gotta keep it rolling, tough assignment most guys went to bed around 4:30 this morning, quick turnaround but the guys showed up… I don’t ever question that we are going to play for nine innings, tough assignment for both teams. If you’re out there you might as well get the win.”

As for the one negative today for the Denver nine, Chad Bettis once again struggled.

“I don’t want to take a starter out after three innings with a lead, especially with a guy like Chad who competes as well as anybody. I trusted my eyes on that one and he just didn’t look right to me. We’ll sit down and see where he is at, but the ball just didn’t come out like it typically does.”

HIGHLIGHTS:

There's a Freese warning in Colorado.https://t.co/J0FgMOfN1H

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 9, 2016

TURNING POINT:

When Jorge De La Rosa took the mound to relive Chad Bettis in the fourth, the game was a one-runner in favor of the Rockies. But the veteran left-hander put an end to the Pittsburgh scoring, allowing the Rockies to finally take a decisive lead.

BY THE NUMBERS:

14 – The home nine had 14 knocks on this day

89 – The temperature at Coors Field for first pitch

3:10 – The very odd start time of this makeup contest

WHAT’S AHEAD:

The Rockies start a series with the Padres tomorrow when Jon Gray will duel against Andrew Cashner in a 6:40 home start.