Don Kelly Wins Debut as Pittsburgh Pirates Beat Atlanta Braves 3-2

PITTSBURGH — Bailey Falter allowed just two hits over six innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates made manager Don Kelly a winner in his debut, holding off the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Friday night.

Kelly, a Pittsburgh-area native promoted from bench coach to manager on Thursday after the club fired Derek Shelton, received a warm ovation when introduced before the game. He then witnessed the Pirates put together a crisp nine innings of play that had been elusive during their rough start to the season.

Alexander Canario, a late replacement for the struggling Tommy Pham, homered for the Pirates. Jared Triolo added his first home run of the season off Braves pitcher Bryce Elder, helping Pittsburgh snap a seven-game losing streak. Andrew McCutchen contributed with an RBI double for the Pirates.

Falter (2-3) initially stumbled, allowing two of the first three batters he faced to reach base in the first inning. However, he quickly settled down, retiring 15 of the last 16 batters he encountered.

In the shaky ninth inning, Dennis Santana faced some pressure but held on to collect his fourth save after giving up a sacrifice fly to Michael Harris II and an RBI single from Drake Baldwin.

Atlanta’s Austin Riley recorded two of the Braves’ seven hits but could not lead his team to a win. Despite some strong pitching from Elder, the Braves, who failed to reach .500 for the first time this season, struggled to capitalize on opportunities.

The Pirates’ win comes as a relief amidst their disappointing 12-26 record. Kelly expressed optimism about the team’s potential, stating there is still “a lot of opportunity for growth.”

As part of this new chapter, Kelly hopes to bring joy back to the players reaching out to them personally and highlighting the importance of teamwork. “When the players know you care about them… that’s what it all ties back to,” he said.

The series continues Saturday, with AJ Smith-Shawver (2-2, 3.00 ERA) starting for the Braves against Pittsburgh’s Andrew Heaney (2-3, 3.18).