PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie Ke’Bryan Hayes homered for the second game in a row since being activated from the injured list and drove in three runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 9-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday night.
Hayes hit a two-run home run in the first inning and an RBI single during a five-run sixth that broke the game open. He also connected Thursday in his first game after missing two months with a sprained left wrist with his father, former major league third baseman Charlie Hayes, watched from the stands.
NL hits leader Adam Frazier had two hits, two RBIs and three runs scored for Pittsburgh. Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and Erik Gonzalez also had two hits each.
Rookie Jose Devers hit two doubles for Miami and Sandy Leon had two hits. With his team down seven runs, Leon moved from catcher to pitcher in the eighth inning and retired the side in order.
Miami rookie Cody Poteet (2-2) was removed with two outs in the third inning with a strained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Making his fifth career start, Poteet gave up three runs and walked four.
A night earlier, Marlins starter Elieser Hernandez was forced from the game with a strained right quadriceps.
The Pirates’ Mitch Keller was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the second because of a heat-related illness. Keller walked the bases loaded then gave up a two-run double to Devers in the top of the inning that pulled the Marlins into a 2-2 tie.
RBI singles by Gregory Polanco in the third and Frazier in the fourth put the Pirates ahead for good at 4-2. Jacob Stallings’ two-run single capped the five-run sixth a night after his three-run double in the eighth inning gave the Pirates a 5-3 win.
Duane Underwood Jr. (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Keller.
ROSTER MOVE
Pirates first baseman Will Craig was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for the activation of right-hander JT Brubaker from the COVID-19 injured list.
The Pirates’ first-round draft pick in 2016, Craig hit just .217 with one home run in 18 games.
Brubaker was required to go through the COVID-19 intake process after being reinstated from the bereavement list Thursday. He was away from the team following the death of his grandmother.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: Hernandez was placed on the 10-day injured list. He was hurt while running the bases in his first game back after missing two months with right biceps inflammation. … OF Lewis Brinson was recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville just one day after being activated from the IL and sent to the minor leagues. Brinson had been sidelined by a sprained left middle finger.
UP NEXT
Marlins rookie LHP Trevor Rogers (6-3, 1.87 ERA) faces Pirates RHP Chase DeJong (0-0, 1.80) on Saturday. Rogers is the first pitcher with at least 76 strikeouts and an ERA under 2.00 in the first 11 starts of a season in Marlins’ history. DeJong will be making his second start since being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis.