The Pirates' offense erupted in a 9-5 slugfest at Coors Field Sunday afternoon, powered by a relentless attack that saw Spencer Horwitz and Nick Gonzales combine for seven hits and five RBIs. Horwitz set the tone early with a 3-for-5 performance that included three runs scored and a towering three-run homer—his sixth of the year—while Gonzales went 4-for-5, spraying line drives across the diamond. Even with Mitch Keller battling through five rocky innings (five runs allowed), Pittsburgh's bullpen locked down the final four frames, allowing just one hit while striking out seven to silence Colorado's comeback hopes.

Colorado's Bradley Blalock never found his footing, surrendering seven runs in 5.2 innings as the Pirates tagged him for six hits and four walks. Mickey Moniak and Jordan Beck provided late sparks with home runs of their own, but it wasn't enough to overcome Pittsburgh's balanced attack—where even the bottom of the order contributed with timely hits and patience. The win keeps the Pirates' playoff push alive, while the Rockies' struggling pitching staff (now with a combined 7.00+ ERA from their starters in this series) faces more questions as they limp into their next matchup.