DENVER — Joe Musgrove didn't want to walk off the mound. It didn't matter that the Rockies scored a run following back-to-back singles and an error, or that the grounds crew was frantically rolling the tarp out at Coors Field. It wasn't until Musgrove got set on the left side of the rubber that he realized the entire field was clear.
"I was locked in, man," Musgrove said, recalling the fifth-inning rain delay Monday night. "I didn’t realize how hard it was raining until I stopped and walked off the field." His resolve offered hope on an otherwise dismal night for the visitors. The Pirates managed only two hits against Rockies starter Kyle Freeland and lost, 2-0, for their 11th shutout of the season, tied for the most in the National League
They're now 57-56, losers of three straight and seven of their last 11, and continued their tumble in the standings, dropping to 8 1/2 games back in the Central Division and 5 1/2 in the Wild Card race. Yet, Musgrove showed the Pirates may have a rotation capable of accomplishing another climb.
"Big-league wins are hard to come by and I seem to keep running into these guys on their best day," Musgrove said. "I feel like I’m going out and doing my job, trying to give us a chance to win, get deep into the game and save our bullpen a little bit."
[caption id="attachment_673700" align="aligncenter" width="440"]
TAP ABOVE FOR BOXSCORE, STANDINGS, VIDEO[/caption]
To continue reading, log into your account: