Charlie Morton pitches Pirates past Rockies 8-4

DENVER – Charlie Morton pitched into the sixth inning for his third win, Garrett Jones had two hits and three RBIs and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 8-4 on Sunday.

Xavier Paul, Andrew McCutchen, Lyle Overbay and Pedro Alvarez also had two hits each for the Pirates, who took two of three at Coors Field. Pittsburgh won its fourth road series of the season, matching its total from the 2010 season.

Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez (0-2) struggled again. He threw three wild pitches, tying a club record, and his ERA rose to 7.20 through four starts.

Dexter Fowler and Todd Helton had two hits each for the Rockies.

Jimenez allowed four runs on six hits, struck out six and walked four. He needed 88 pitches to get through four innings in his shortest outing of the season. Last year, Jimenez failed to pitch into the sixth twice in 33 starts and dominated hitters en route to a 15-1 record at the All-Star break.

The Pirates jumped on Jimenez in the second inning. Ryan Doumit led off with a walk, Alvarez singled to put runners at the corners and Ronny Cedeno's bunt down the first base line gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead.

Jimenez retired the next two batters before Paul tripled to right-center and Jones doubled to center to make it 4-0.

The Rockies broke through in the third on Helton's two-out single that scored Fowler from second to make it 4-1. Ryan Spilborghs cut the lead to 4-2 with a pinch-hit single to score Seth Smith in the fourth.

The Pirates broke open the game with a four-run fifth against reliever Esmil Rogers. Morton knocked in his second career RBI on a sacrifice fly and Jones had a two-run single to make it 8-2.

Morton (3-1) was cruising until the sixth when Smith led off with a single and Chris Iannetta drew a one-out walk. Michael Crotta relieved and walked pinch-hitter Jonathan Herrera to load the bases. Fowler followed with a double to make it 8-4, but Joe Beimel came on to strike out Alfredo Amezaga on three pitches and retire Helton on a deep fly to left.

NOTES: Four pitchers held the Colorado record with three wild pitches. Jimenez was the last to do it, on April 25, 2008. ... Pirates OF Jose Tabata (right hamstring) was held out of the lineup.