DENVER (AP) – Matt Holliday hit a run-scoring single in the 10th inning and had a three-run homer, and Todd Helton had a pair of doubles in his first game off the disabled list to lift the Colorado Rockies to a 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday night.

Colorado led 5-1 after a five-run fifth inning, but didn’t get another hit until Helton’s one-out double off Rick White (3-4) in the 10th. Holliday then hit White’s 1-0 pitch up the middle and Helton easily scored when center fielder Tike Redman couldn’t handle the ball.

Helton finished 2-for-5 and drove in a run after missing 14 games with a strained calf, and Holliday was 2-for-4 to help Colorado to its eighth win in 12 games.

Pittsburgh had the go-ahead run on second in the ninth inning after Jack Wilson’s single and a sacrifice bunt, but Brian Fuentes got Redman to fly out to left and struck out Jody Gerut. David Cortes (2-0) worked a perfect 10th to get the win.

Rockies starter Aaron Cook had his second straight quality outing since coming off the DL, but again got a no decision.

The right-hander, who returned July 30 after two surgeries to remove blood clots from his lungs, had plenty of bite on his sinker and hit the low-90s with his fastball. He allowed a run in the fourth inning on Jason Bay’s RBI single and one other hit before tiring in the seventh inning.

Cook walked Bay to lead off the seventh, then gave up a run-scoring double to Brad Eldred. Cook got Jose Castillo to hit into a fielder’s choice, then Humberto Cota followed with a run-scoring single to right that cut Colorado’s lead to 5-3.

Cook was done after that, walking off to a standing ovation after allowing four runs – three earned – and five hits.

Reliever Scott Dohmann then walked pinch hitter Daryle Ward and Redman hit a two-run triple that tied it at 5-all.

Pirates starter Mark Redman had trouble with a sore back in his last outing, giving up six earned runs in 2 2-3 innings against San Diego last Thursday. He had his changeup working early this time, getting nine of his first 12 outs on groundouts or strikeouts.

Redman got in trouble with a two-out walk to Cook in the fifth. Luis Gonzalez followed with a single, Garrett Atkins had an RBI single and Helton hit a run-scoring double to left. Holliday followed with his 11th homer, a 438-foot, three-run shot to left-center that put the Rockies up 5-1.

Redman lasted five innings, giving up six hits and five runs – the sixth time in eight starts he’s allowed at least five runs.

Notes: The Rockies signed RHP Gabe Molina to a minor league contract on Wednesday. He last pitched in the majors for St. Louis in 2003 and spent time with Baltimore and Atlanta. … Cook was awarded a single in the third inning when Redman collided with 1B Brad Eldred and couldn’t make the throw. The bunt was initially ruled a sacrifice before being changed to a hit in the fourth inning after the scorekeeper conferred with the Elias Sports Bureau.

AP-ES-08-11-05 0018EDT


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