DENVER (AP) — Jake McCarthy hit a leadoff inside-the-park home run off Paul Skenes and the Colorado Rockies survived another tense ninth inning to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Saturday night.
Skenes (6-7) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Colorado on May 12, and hasn't won since that outing.
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Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes works against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Spencer Horwitz heads up the first base line after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy is congratulated as he returns to the dugout after hitting an inside-the-park home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy, left, makes the turn as third base coach Andy González, right, directs him to home plate to notch an inside-the-park home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy slides safely across home plate to notch an inside-the-park home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Tomoyuki Sugano (8-4) went six innings, and Jaden Hill picked up his second save.
Pittsburgh, as it did Friday night, had the tying run on third with less that two outs in the ninth. Hill came on and hit Nick Gonzalez to load the bases before striking out Tyler Callihan. Jake Mangum then hit a grounder to third baseman Kyle Karros, and the game ended when umpires determined Karros was interfered with by Billy Cook.
The game started with matching leadoff home runs. Spencer Horowitz blasted a 434-footer into the second deck in right field to start the night, his fifth career leadoff homer, and McCarthy answered with more flare.
McCarthy drove a liner to center field that got by the diving Mangum and rolled to the wall. Callihan had trouble picking it up, allowing McCarthy to race around the bases and beat the relay throw home.
It was the franchise's second inside-the-park homer to lead off the first inning – the last by Eric Young Jr. on Aug. 8, 2012 — and the 20th inside-the-park home run in team history and first since Ian Desmond’s on June 14, 2019.
McCarthy’s hustle double in the third led to Colorado’s second run.
Pirates RHP Jared Jones (1-1, 6.23) was set to face RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 7.13) on Sunday in the series finale.
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Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes works against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Spencer Horwitz heads up the first base line after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy is congratulated as he returns to the dugout after hitting an inside-the-park home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy, left, makes the turn as third base coach Andy González, right, directs him to home plate to notch an inside-the-park home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy slides safely across home plate to notch an inside-the-park home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
