MIAMI (AP) — The hits piled up in a hurry early and continued throughout the game for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Francisco Cervelli drove in three runs and the Pirates scored eight times in the second inning in a 12-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday night.
“It was one of those games where everybody’s running to the bat rack,” said Pirates third baseman Josh Harrison, who had three hits and drove in two runs.
Jordy Mercer homered and had two RBIs and Andrew McCutchen also drove in a pair of runs for the Pirates, who snapped a six-game losing streak to the Marlins.
Pittsburgh set season-highs in runs and hits by the fourth inning finishing with 18 hits and all eight starting position players recording at least one while Jose Osuna had four and Gift Ngoepe also had three.
“It’s the big leagues,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “These guys are hitters. Pitchers make mistakes and they capitalize.”
Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (2-0) allowed one run and five hits in five innings, lowering his ERA to 2.08.
Adam Conley (1-2) allowed nine runs in 1 2-3 innings for Miami, which has lost three straight.
“I’m going to wash my hands of this game,” Conley said. “If I was going to stay angry about this one it would be July before I was over it. I’m done with this game.”
The Pirates broke open the game in the second scoring eight runs, all with two outs, and sent 14 batters to the plate. Eight consecutive Pirates reached base with two outs including a bases-clearing triple by Cervelli on a line drive that dropped under left fielder Marcell Ozuna’s glove and rolled to the warning track.
“I think we got some balls to hit, his command wasn’t sharp, we worked the counts, got ahead in the counts, and made him throw the fastball up and out over the plate,” Hurdle said.
Harrison’s base hit started the flurry followed by McCutchen’s two-run single before Cervelli’s three-run triple extended the lead to 8-0.
“That inning was contagious,” Hurdle said. “We started off slow and picked up momentum as we went on.”
The inning ended when Taillon recorded an out for the second time in the frame.
“I’m aware I was the only guy who didn’t get (on base) there and I made two outs in one inning,” Taillon said.
Mercer’s home run in the first was his second of the season.
Christian Yelich had four hits for the Marlins.
“It was just one of those games that got away early,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It spiraled on us.”
PIRATES WITH THREE TRIPLES
Alen Hanson, Cervelli and Ngoepe had triples in the game marking the first time the Pirates had three in one game since Aug. 20, 2013, at San Diego. It was the second time it has happened in the majors this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: 3B David Freese (hamstring) missed his third consecutive game. Freese took batting practice and fielded ground balls before the game.
Marlins: LHP Jeff Locke (biceps) has been pitching simulated games. “We’re getting closer to assignments where he would go to A-ball, Double-A, or Triple-A,” Mattingly said. “He’s bouncing back too. Everything is going good.”
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Ivan Nova (2-2, 2.00) will make his fifth start of the season on Saturday and his first career start against the Marlins. Nova allowed one run in seven innings in a 2-1 win against the New York Yankees in his last start.
Marlins: RHP Dan Straily (1-1, 3.92) is coming off a 14-strikeout performance in a 6-3 win at San Diego. Straily is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last three starts after a shaky season debut at Washington.
