Joyce’s late jack helps Pirates trump Rockies

DENVER — Matt Joyce greeted Rockies reliever Scott Oberg with a three-run homer in the seventh as the Pirates earned a 6-1 victory on Monday night in a series opener that saw a 30-minute rain delay in the second inning at Coors Field.

Joyce’s second homer of the season came right after Oberg — in his first appearance of the season since being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque — replaced Rockies starter Chad Bettis, who was charged with six hits and four runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Joyce’s swing made a winner of Pirates starter Jeff Locke, who went six scoreless innings, gave up five hits and struck out eight, although the Rockies loudly begged to differ with home-plate umpire Lance Barrett’s calls on some of the five strikeouts looking.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDStrikes and showers: Rockies manager Walt Weiss, after Nick Hundley took a called third strike in the fourth inning, and left fielder Ryan Raburn in the sixth earned ejections because of their strike-zone protests.

Taking pitches: The Pirates’ first two runs resulted from errant pitches by Bettis. He hit Josh Harrison leading off the fifth, then saw him advance to second on a …

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