Last Sunday, the Pittsburgh Pirates had the opportunity to win a series on the road vs. a poor NL West club but fell short in San Francisco.

A similar chance, this time at PNC Park, presented itself Thursday, with the Pirates looking to take two of three from the last-place Colorado Rockies.

Turning to the bullpen for a few frames before Carmen Mlodzinski took over for the bulk of the day’s workload, the Pirates cruised to a 7-2 win in front of 19,101 fans.

Opener Mason Montgomery, Evan Sisk, Mlodzinski, Dennis Santana and Yohan Ramirez pitched for the Pirates in the victory, with Mlodzinski (3-3, 4.40 ERA) allowing a pair of runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts over five innings to earn the win.

Montgomery was sharp in the first inning, while Sisk pitched an uneventful second. In the eighth, Santana retired the Rockies (17-27) in order, while Ramirez allowed a leadoff walk but then got a strikeout and double play to end the game.

Offensively, the Pirates (24-20) were powered by Ryan O’Hearn, who went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs, and Endy Rodriguez, who was 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBIs.

Konnor Griffin (2 for 4, run) and Jared Triolo (2 for 3, RBI, walk) also turned in multi-hit days for the Pirates.

After Montgomery put forth an impressive top of the first, recording three strikeouts, the Pirates promptly got on the board vs. Rockies starter Chase Dollander, the ninth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Oneil Cruz got aboard on a ruled double that left fielder Jordan Beck lost in the clouds, while Bryan Reynolds collected an RBI single after Cruz moved to third on Brandon Lowe’s flyout.

O’Hearn then made it 3-0 with a homer to center field, his seventh of the season, leaving the yard for the second game in a row.

Dollander’s start ended shortly thereafter, as the 24-year-old departed in the second inning due to injury.

Before Dollander left, Rodriguez, making his 2026 debut and recorded a double for his first big-league hit since June 4, 2026.

In the third, the Pirates loaded the bases, prompting another Colorado pitching change, as Victor Vodnik replaced Brennan Bernardino.

Rodriguez then singled home O’Hearn and Griffin, both of whom singled, to make it 5-0 Pirates.

After Marcell Ozuna walked and Triolo singled to load the bases again, Cruz put the Pirates up 6-0 with an RBI groundout.

Following Montgomery to the hill was Sisk, who pitched a scoreless second before Mlodzinski came on in the third.

Mlodzinski ran into a bit of trouble in the fourth, walking a pair before letting up two runs on a Troy Johnston double to make the score 6-2.

Mlodzinski’s fifth was quieter, as he retired the Rockies in order.

The Pirates increased their lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the fifth, as Triolo collected an RBI single to score Spencer Horwitz, who led off with a double.

Mlodzinski got out of the sixth and seventh innings with well-timed double plays.

Santana took over in the eighth and had a quiet frame.

Ramirez, who entered the game having surrendered seven earned runs over his last three outings, was sharp in the ninth, ending the game on a double play.