MIAMI – Jared Triolo hit an RBI single in the top of the 12th inning to finish the Pittsburgh Pirates' rally and beat the Miami Marlins 6-5 on opening day Thursday.
Triolo's line drive single against Marlins reliever Declan Cronin (0-1) scored automatic runner Ke’Bryan Hayes. Pirates reliever Jose Hernandez then earned the first save of his career, retiring 2023 NL batting champion Luis Arraez, Josh Bell and Bryan De La Cruz in his only inning of relief.
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After Pirates starter Mitch Keller gave up seven hits, five runs (four earned), walked two and struck out three over 5 2/3 innings, Pittsburgh’s bullpen held the Marlins to just one hit.
Luis Ortiz (1-0) pitched critical shutout innings in the 10th and 11th, getting the Marlins to ground into double plays twice, to set up Hernandez.
“I think when I left the game it was 5-2, I said, ‘If we could just get back into it,’” Keller said. “I knew that our bullpen was gonna lock it down, and they sure as hell did.”
Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo allowed two hits and two runs, walked two and struck out eight — one shy of matching the club record of nine opening-day strikeouts set by Josh Beckett in 2004 and Jose Fernandez in 2014.
Left fielder Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run homer off Luzardo that briefly tied it in the third, but Pittsburgh's hitters largely struggled against the left-hander, tallying 18 whiffs as Miami went up 5-2.
“We got his pitch count up,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “We made him throw a lot of pitches. I was happy with the fact that we kept grinding through at-bats. I don't think when you see a 12-inning game that you see at-bats given away, especially on opening day. And we did not give away an at-bat tonight.”
The Marlins are already facing injuries to several pitchers in their starting rotation, and manager Skip Schumaker opted to take out Luzardo after five innings and 85 pitches despite his dominant start.
“If you ask me, of course I want to go more," Luzardo said, "but it’s early in the season, understandable. (Schumaker) told me that’s what it was. I definitely felt good to continue.”
Pinch-hitter Eddie Olivares and short stop Oneil Cruz hit solo homers off Miami relievers Andrew Nardi and Sixto Sánchez, and Michael A. Taylor scored against reliever Anthony Bender, tying it 5-5 in the eighth.
Bell singled twice, and Jake Burger had three hits for the Marlins, who have now lost six straight opening-day games played at home dating back to 2014.
Former AL batting champion Tim Anderson, who signed a one-year deal with Miami in the offseason, had an RBI double in his first at-bat as a Marlin. Arraez was 0 for 6.
Brazilian soccer star Neymar threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (right elbow inflammation) and Colin Holderman (illness) were placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Monday. C Yasmani Grandal (left foot plantar fasciitis) went on 10-day IL, retroactive to Monday.
Marlins: 3B Jonah Bride was recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville, filling roster spot opened up in the trade that sent Jon Berti to the Yankees. ... LHP Braxton Garrett (left shoulder impingement) went on 15-day IL, along with RHP JT Chargois (neck spasms), Eury Pérez (right elbow inflammation) and Edward Cabrera (right shoulder impingement), all retroactive to Monday.
UP NEXT
LHP Martín Pérez will start for the Pirates on Friday against LHP A.J. Puk, who will make his first career MLB start.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb