The Bash Brothers, Gift Ngoepe and Jose Osuna, reached base a combined 10 times in 11 chances, the Pirates erupted for eight runs in the second inning and they cruised to a 12-2 win over the Marlins on Friday night in Miami.
Ngoepe, an international superstar these days, got his first major league start and went 3-for-3 with a triple and two walks. Osuna went 4-for-5, all singles, with a walk. The duo had gotten on base in all 10 plate appearances until Osuna came up with two outs in the ninth and filed out to right.
Already staked to a 1-0 lead on Jordy Mercer's first-inning home run, the Pirates opened up a 9-0 lead and chased Miami starter Adam Conley in the second. Francisco Cervelli, Osuna and Ngoepe each reached base twice in the inning.
Conley actually got two outs before a run came in. With the bases loaded, Josh Harrison singled, Mercer walked and Andrew McCutchen singled in succession, though, to give the Bucs a 5-0 lead. Conley hit Gregory Polanco with a pitch to reload the bases and Cervelli, who had singled to open the inning, cleared the bases with a triple to left that chased Conley. Later on Ngoepe ran out a grounder and played the part of a cocky veteran, immediately signaling for a review that would overturn the play into a hit, loading the bases before Taillon bounced out to end the inning.
Adeiny Hechavarria's leadoff triple led to a little trouble for Taillon in the third, and he racked up a bunch of pitches early. Taillon went five innings, striking out four, walking two and allowing one run on five hits.
Johnny Barbato made his Pirated debut with a couple scoreless innings, and Wade LeBlanc pitched the eighth and ninth.
Alen Hanson followed Ngoepe's sixth-inning triple with one of his own. Harrison finished 3-for-5, McCutchen 2-for-4.
Pleasantly, the Pirates have jumped on starters early two games in a row. That certainly isn't a function of playing without David Freese and Adam Frazier (not to mention the others missing), and guys like Ngoepe and Osuna aren't going to bat 1.000. Perhaps, though, a dose of the Marlins and, next, the Reds could help get some on track. At the very least, it's welcome with a shorthanded lineup, and a good way to start a road trip.