Jimenez pitches 8 shutout innings, Rockies beat Pirates 8-0

Jimenez, Rockies shut down Pirates 8-0

DENVER — Ubaldo Jimenez pitched three-hit ball for eight innings and Carlos Gonzalez homered early, sending the Colorado Rockies over the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-0 Wednesday night.

Jimenez (10-9) won his fourth straight decision. He became the fourth member of the Rockies’ rotation with double-digit victories, joining Jason Marquis, Aaron Cook and Jorge De La Rosa.

The Pirates got only four hits and lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

Jimenez faced the minimum through three innings and worked out of his only serious jam in the fifth. He issued a one-out walk to Andy LaRoche and then Brandon Moss, who had two of the Pirates’ three singles off Jimenez, followed with a hit up the middle.

A two-out walk to pitcher Kevin Hart loaded the bases, but Jimenez got Andrew McCutchen on an inning-ending groundout.

Hart (3-2), in his second start since being acquired by the Pirates from the Chicago Cubs on July 30, allowed five runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings. He ended a three-start winning streak he had built while with the Cubs.

Seth Smith singled to open the Colorado first and Gonzalez followed by with an opposite-field drive over the fence in left. It was the second homer in as many days for Gonzalez, who increasingly is making his presence felt following an early June recall from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Gonzalez has batted .412 (21 for 51) in the second half. Over his last five starts in which he’s moved up to the No. 2 spot in the batting order, he’s gone 9 for 23 (.391) with six runs scored and two homers.

The Rockies went up 3-0 in the fourth, getting a boost from slumping Clint Barmes, who had four hits in his previous 58 at-bats (.069) before delivering an RBI single. He added an RBI double his next time up during a two-run sixth. Troy Tulowitzki tripled to start the inning and scored on Brad Hawpe’s double.

In the eighth, Chris Iannetta hit a two-run double and pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs had an RBI double.

Todd Helton went 0 for 3 with a walk to end his hitting streak at 16 games, one shy of his career high.

NOTES: Barmes’ four previous hits were all home runs. … Prior to the game, the Rockies selected the contract of right-hander Adam Eaton from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned right-hander Jhoulys Chacin to the Sky Sox. … Rockies CF Dexter Fowler, who left Monday night’s game with a left knee contusion, remains day-to-day. … Pittsburgh placed right-handed reliever Evan Meek on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left rib cage muscle and recalled right-hander Steven Jackson from Triple-A Indianapolis. … The Pirates could still win their first series on the road since taking three of four from Washington in mid-May with a victory against the Rockies in Thursday’s finale.