Tulowitzki's 3 hits, key RBI help Rockies snap 7-game road skid with 6-3 win over Pirates

PITTSBURGH – Troy Tulowitzki hit a tiebreaking RBI single with two out in the seventh and the Colorado Rockies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 on Friday night to snap a seven-game road losing streak.

Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez each had three hits for the Rockies, who have won six of eight overall as they fight to stay in the National League playoff race. Jason Hammel pitches six solid innings to win for the first time since July 10.

Rookie Pedro Alvarez hit a three-run homer for the last-place Pirates, who have lost 11 of 15.

Rockies manager Jim Tracy had a 20-minute pregame meeting with his position players to discuss the team's lack of offense away from Coors Field, and the lineup responded with 15 hits and by scoring more than four runs in a road game for the first time since the losing streak began.

Hammel (8-6) allowed three runs and three hits. He was 0-3 with a 5.33 ERA in his previous four starts.

Matt Belisle, Joe Beimel and Huston Street combined to finish up, with Street earning his seventh save in eight opportunities.

Gonzalez hit a two-out single and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Tulowitzki's hit off Chan Ho Park (0-1) made it 4-3.

Colorado added two more in the ninth. Dexter Fowler tripled and scored on Gonzalez's sacrifice fly, and pinch-hitter Jason Giambi added an RBI single.

The Pirates tied it in the sixth. Jose Tabata hit a one-out single and Neil Walker was hit by a pitch. After Garrett Jones struck out, Alvarez hit a 2-0 pitch deep into the elevated seats in right field.

It was Alvarez's second homer in three games and eighth since July 3. He has nine overall.

Gonzalez hit a solo drive in the first for his seventh homer in his past nine games and No. 24 overall.

NOTES: Fowler's triple was initially ruled a home run, but a replay showed the ball hit off the top of the wall in center and bounced back into play. ... Park made his Pirates debut after being claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees earlier this week. He became the 25th pitcher the team has used this season, one off the club record. ... All but one of Alvarez's nine homers have come at PNC Park.