The Colorado Rockies couldn't quite recreate their offensive magic from Wednesday, but the real story from their 7-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates is a concerning injury to one of their most promising young arms. The Rockies wrapped up the road trip with a 2-4 record, dropping both series, and now head home with more questions than answers.

All eyes were on fireball right-hander Chase Dollander, especially with the team facing a grueling stretch of 16 straight games. But things took a turn early. The top of the first inning started rough when Oneil Cruz reached on a double that fell due to a miscommunication between Jordan Beck and Brenton Doyle. Cruz came around to score on a Bryan Reynolds single, and Ryan O'Hearn followed with a two-run homer to center, putting the Pirates up 3-0. Dollander managed to escape the inning with a couple of pop-ups, but he lasted just two batters into the second—giving up a double to Endy Rodriguez and walking Jared Triolo. After shaking his arm following the walk, manager Warren Schaeffer made the cautious call to pull him, turning the game into a bullpen day.

The team later announced Dollander exited with right forearm tightness and will undergo further testing back in Denver—a development that casts a long shadow over the rest of the series.

Brennan Bernardino took over in the second with two on and nobody out, and he worked quickly to escape the jam. But the third inning brought more trouble: back-to-back singles and a weak groundout set the stage for Victor Vodnik, who entered and walked Marcell Ozuna to load the bases. Rodriguez then delivered a two-run single to center, pushing the lead to 5-0. Cruz added another run on a groundout to short, making it 6-0 before Vodnik struck out Brandon Lowe to finally end the inning.

The Pirates kept the pressure on all day, consistently putting the ball in play and making the Rockies' bullpen work. It was a tough finish to a trip that started with promise, and the focus now shifts to Dollander's health as the team heads home.