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.
Hayes, though, is not surprised about making an immediate impact.
“Down in my rehab games (at Triple-A Indianapolis), I was feeling pretty good,” Hayes said. “A lot of it has to do be confident in your prep works before the game then sticking with your approach, trying to hit the ball up the middle and having fun.”
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.
“With Ke’Bryan and Bryan hitting me behind me, we have a chance to score a lot of runs,” said Frazier, the Pirates’ leadoff hitter, who called Hayes “a real spark.”
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.
A seven-game losing streak has dropped the Marlins into last place in the NL East a year after qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2003.
“We can’t look at what position we’re in right now,” Miami manager Don Mattingly said. “We’ve got to move forward and get past that. We start putting wins together and things can change quickly. It’s not like we’re 20 games…
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