The Associated Press
Pirates pitcher Wilber Dotel walks off the mound after handing the ball to manager Don Kelly during the seventh inning.
PITTSBURGH — Owen Caissie had a two-run double to cap a four-run seventh inning and the Miami Marlins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-3 on Friday night for their seventh straight victory and ninth in 10 games in June.
Sandy Alcantara (6-4) won for the third time in three starts in June, working eight innings. He gave up three runs on five hits while striking out seven and walking one.
Tied at 2 going into the seventh, the Marlins scored four runs off reliever Wilber Dotel (1-2). Xavier Edwards brought home the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly, Heriberto Hernandez had an RBI single and Caissie broke it open with his double off the fence in center.
Liam Hicks added a two-run home run in the eighth off Antoine Kelly, who was making his major league debut, to make it 8-2. Hicks finished 3 for 4 with a double and three runs.
Endy Rodriguez homered and doubled for the Pirates, who lost for the sixth in seven games. Brandon Lowe went deep in the bottom of the eighth after the Pirates had fallen behind by six runs.
The Pirates opened the scoring in the third when Rodriguez hit a leadoff double and scored on Jared Triolo’s single.
The Marlins moved in front 2-1 in the fifth. Otto Lopez drove in one run with a groundout and Kyle Stowers followed with an RBI single. Rodriguez homered in the bottom of the inning to tie it.
Pirates starter Braxon Ashcraft allowed two runs in five innings.
Kelly was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday when the Pirates optioned Brandan Bidois to Indianapolis.
“It’s a dream come true. I felt like a kid,” Kelly said. “My heart was beating fast. I was expecting this moment my whole life.”
Kelly had gone 3-4 with a 4.50 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 13 Triple-A appearances (10 starts) this season.
He posted a combined 3.02 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 25 starts split between High-A Greensboro (14 starts) and Double-A Altoona (11 starts) last season. He led all full-season minor leaguers in the organization in ERA, while also ranking tied for fourth among all Pirates farmhands in strikeouts and sixth in innings pitched.
Additionally, catcher Joey Bart (left foot infection) had his rehab assignment transferred from Low-A Bradenton to Indianapolis.
Up next
Pirates rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (2-7. 4.91 ERA) was set to start Saturday. The Marlins had not announced a starter.
