Game 17: Rockies 2 Pirates 1, Game 18: Pirates 5 Rockies 1

This double-header was a weird roller coaster for two games that didn't involve a whole lot of run scoring. The first game was exciting when it looked like James McDonald was going to make a run at a no-hitter, but terrifying in the thought that the no-hitter might not be enough to win (weirdly enough, home plate ump Tom Hallion called the Francisco Cordova/Ricardo Rincon no-hitter). Then the Rockies scored and Pedro Alvarez homered and Chris Resop gave up another run and the Pirates lost. In Game 2, Charlie Morton cruised on the mound almost as well as McDonald did, but it took the Pirate five innings to score at all. When they did, they tossed five runs on the board and then didn't score again while Morton and the bullpen had to hold the lead. The first half of the double header was really tough to take. The Pirates out-hit the Rockies 9-3 and James McDonald absolutely cruised with one hit, eight strikeouts, and three walks in seven innings, but it just wasn't enough. ...