Rockies Keep Pirates in Slide

Commissioner Bud Selig is to announce the name of the Pirates’ stadium-in-progress today, but new digs are for 2001.

The now in Pittsburgh is a 1-5 homestand, the latest loss coming Wednesday night when Colorado’s Jamey Wright atoned for hitting three batters and balking in a run by hitting a homer in a 6-2 victory.

“He did it all in one night,” Colorado Manager Don Baylor said. “He started a big double play, hit a home run and pitched a complete game. That’s his highlight. This is what he can do.”

Wright (6-10) settled down after the first three batters reached base in a two-run Pirate first inning, winning for the first time in seven weeks and pitching his first complete game of the season.

He had been 0-4 with a 7.17 earned-run average in nine starts after beating the Dodgers on June 13.

Wright, batting .189 at the time, finished off a four-run fifth inning against Francisco Cordova (9-10) with a two-run homer that followed Jeff Reed’s two-run double.

“I don’t even hit homers in pitchers’ batting practice in Coors Field,” Wright said. “I’m definitely wasn’t looking for one.”

One night after they had a season-high 21 hits in beating the Rockies 13-5, Pittsburgh managed only five hits off Wright in its eighth loss in 10 games.

Wright got into trouble in the first by hitting Jason Kendall with a pitch after Tony Womack’s leadoff double, and by balking in a run when he faked a throw to third base without stepping off the rubber.

Kevin Young also hit a sacrifice fly, but Wright settled down to strike out Al Martin to get out of the inning.