The Pittsburgh Pirates won in extra innings on Opening Day, beating the Miami Marlins by a 6-5 score after a Jared Triolo RBI single in the top of the 12th inning.
The Pirates played comeback the entire game, and were able to do so due to their power production. After Mitch Keller gave up two runs in the bottom of the second, the Pirates got back in the game off a Bryan Reynolds two-run homer in the top of the third. Reynolds went 2-for-5, also adding a double.
Keller had a rough start, allowing four earned and five runs total in 5.2 innings of work. He left in the sixth inning with the Pirates down 5-2. That would begin the next comeback, led by 6.1 shutout innings from six relievers in the bullpen.
The Pirates scored two in the seventh inning. Edward Olivares, acquired from the Royals this offseason, hit a solo homer in his first at-bat with the Pirates, pinch hitting for Rowdy Tellez. Andrew McCutchen later brought another run home on an RBI groundout with the bases loaded. The Pirates tied the score in the eighth inning, when Oneil Cruz took a 96 MPH fastball to opposite field with a line drive home run.
Josh Fleming (0.1 IP), Hunter Stratton (0.2), Ryan Borucki (1.1), and Aroldis Chapman (1.0) got the Pirates from Keller to extra innings. That’s where Luis Ortiz came on to pitch two shutout frames, striking out two. The Pirates planned to use Ortiz as a bulk innings reliever, and he handled well the first opportunity in the first game of the season.
In the top of the 12th, Triolo came to the plate with two on and two out, after previously going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. This time around, Triolo lined a single to right field, bringing in Ke’Bryan Hayes for the go-ahead run. Jose Hernandez, who was added to the Opening Day roster to replace Roansy Contreras on paternity leave, threw a scoreless 12th inning for the save.
DAILY VIDEO RUNDOWN
Here’s that home run from Reynolds, which traveled 406 feet, leaving the bat at 107.5 MPH.
Bryan Reynolds with the first cannonball of 2024! pic.twitter.com/bwbNkH53yE
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 28, 2024
Olivares hit his home run 413 feet at 102.4 MPH.
Edward Olivares homers in his first at-bat with the Buccos. pic.twitter.com/JhMwOQOs8I
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 28, 2024
The homer from Cruz traveled 384 feet at a 105.5 MPH exit velocity.
OPENING DAY CRUZ MISSILE! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/iIJgS2gE0u
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 28, 2024
Triolo for the go-ahead run…
JARED TRIOLO FOR THE LEAD! 🌳 pic.twitter.com/A6whOzdP6P
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 28, 2024
STATCAST HEROES
ROSTER MOVES
Prior to the game, the Pirates designed for assignment Canaan Smith-Njigba, Jackson Wolf, and Ali Sanchez to set their 40-man roster. They also placed Roansy Contreras on paternity leave, and called up Jose Hernandez.
PIRATES (1-0) AT MARLINS (0-1)
Game Time: 7:10 PM EDT
Watch: SportsNet-PIT
Listen: KDKA-FM
Pirates Starter: Martin Perez, LHP (0-0, 0.00)
Marlins Starter: A.J. Puk, LHP (0-0, 0.00)
Pirates Prospects Daily
I predicted the Pirates will have a winning season, finishing in the 83-85 win range this season.
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