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Final Score: Colorado 4 - Pittsburgh 8

Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Ryan Doumit finished 3-for-4 with two runs batted in, and Ian Snell threw seven solid innings to win for just the second time in his last 18 starts, as Pittsburgh topped Colorado, 8-4, in the opener of a three-game set.

Snell (4-8) battled back from a rocky start and gave up four runs on eight hits. He also walked just one and struck out eight to pick up his first win since June 11.

Doug Mientkiewicz had three hits and two RBI, while Nate McLouth finished with a solo home run, two walks and two RBI for the Pirates, who snapped a three- game losing streak.

Valerio De Los Santos made the start for Colorado, his first appearance in the major leagues since 2005, and first MLB start since 2000. The 35-year-old allowed two runs on two hits and six walks, and was pulled after four-plus innings. Jason Grilli (2-2) took the loss after surrendering two runs in one inning of relief.

"Bad night off the mound, you're going to have those," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We've played 11 games and we lost two. Tonight wasn't a good night for us."

Matt Holliday hit a two-run homer, while Willy Taveras had two hits and an RBI for the Rockies, who had a five-game win streak halted. Colorado hadn't scored four or fewer runs since before the All-Star break, and had averaged 7.6 runs in the 10 games since until Monday, when the club tallied just eight hits.

Staring at a three-run deficit in the fifth inning, the Pirates put up four runs to take the lead. Three walks loaded the bases for Doumit, who pulled a double into the right field corner to plate Chris Gomez and McLouth.

"I think naturally you want to hit your way back into the game, but in that situation, we were patient and got guys on base and got back in the game that way," McLouth said.

After Jason Bay reached on an error to fill the bases again, Mientkiewicz slapped a single into right field to plate Jack Wilson, and Steve Pearce brought home Doumit with a sacrifice fly for a 4-3 Pittsburgh lead.

The Pirates extended their lead in the sixth. McLouth led off with a titanic homer as he hit a high fastball down the right field line, just inside the foul pole, beyond the stands, off the shrubs surrounding the park and into the Allegheny River.

Wilson and Doumit followed with singles, and after Bay reached on a fielder's choice, Mientkiewicz knocked in another run with a single. Bay stole third before Pearce hit another sacrifice fly, boosting the Pirates' advantage to 7-2.

In the top of the seventh, Yorvit Torrealba grounded into a double play with runners on the corners to plate a Colorado run. But Pittsburgh got the tally right back in the home half when a run scored on McLouth's grounder.

Denny Bautista entered for Pittsburgh in the eighth and threw a perfect final two innings to finish the game.

The Rockies got to Snell early on. After Taveras led off the first with a single, Holliday clubbed a high breaking ball just over the wall in center field with one out.

Taveras' RBI single in the second gave Colorado a 3-0 edge, but from there, Snell settled down. He retired the Rockies in order in the third through fifth innings, and allowed only a walk to Brad Hawpe in the sixth.