Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler, foreground, rubs a new ball after giving up a solo home run to Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield, back right, in the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 19, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER — Pinch-hitter Braxton Fulford had a go-ahead two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning, Antonio Senzatela got out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the ninth and the Colorado Rockies held on for a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Rockies starter Kyle Freeland got his 1,000th career strikeout, the second player in franchise history to reach the milestone.

The Pirates took a 3-2 lead in the eighth on an RBI double by Jared Triolo off Freeland and a run-scoring single by pinch-hitter Bryan Reynolds and an RBI triple by Nick Gonzales against Jaden Hill.

But the Rockies came right back in their half of the eighth when Tyler Freeman and Cole Carrigg had consecutive two-out singles against Mason Montgomery (2-2). Fulford came in to pinch hit for Sterlin Thompson and doubled into the gap between left and center field to put Colorado up 4-3.

Senzatela (7-0) gave up a leadoff single in the ninth to Marcel Ozuna and Brandon Lowe singled on a ball that bounced off the leg of shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and into the outfield, putting the tying run at third base. Senzatela then walked Endy Rodriguez to load the bases. But he struck out Tyler Callihan and got Triolo to ground into a double play to end the game.

Freeland, who struck out Ozuna in the seventh to reach 1,000 strikeouts and then fanned Lowe, trails only German Marquez (1,069) on the Rockies’ career list.

Bart traded

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired right-handed pitcher Hunter Stratton from Atlanta, in exchange for catcher Joey Bart late Thursday.

The 29-year-old Stratton, who was assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis, was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the 16th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft.

He made his Major League debut with the Pirates on Sept. 5, 2023 vs. Milwaukee. Stratton went 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 47 games with Pittsburgh from 2023-25 before being traded to Atlanta for minor league outfielder Titus Dumitru and cash considerations last year on July 1.

On deck

Saturday: Pittsburgh Pirates at Colorado Rockies, 9:10 p.m.

Pitchers: Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (6-6) vs. Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (7-4)

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Sunday: Pittsburgh Pirates at Colorado Rockies, 3:10 p.m.

Pitchers: Pirates RHP Jared Jones (1-1) vs. Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-8)

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh