MIAMI — Through 11 innings Thursday, Jared Triolo had a first opening day that he would probably rather forget, one that included a rare error, two strikeouts and five largely unproductive trips to the plate.

At least it ended well.

In the top of the 12th inning, Triolo’s flare of a single into right field scored Ke’Bryan Hayes from third base, pushing the Pirates in front by a run. Jose Hernandez, recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Indianapolis, finished it off for a 6-5 Pirates victory.

A spotless game this was not. But it counts just the same.

In addition to Triolo failing to turn two early on, he struck out looking with the bases loaded to end the sixth. The Pirates also had runners thrown out at home — by Josh Bell, no less — in the 10th and 11th innings.

The wild and wacky win also featured three home runs for the Pirates, as well as some terrific work from the Pirates bullpen, a group that curiously did not include David Bednar. Josh Fleming, Hunter Stratton, Ryan Borucki, Aroldis Chapman, Luis Ortiz and Jose Hernandez combined to finish the game after Mitch Keller.

Once the Pirates knocked starter Jesus Luzardo out of the game, they seemed to gain their equilibrium against Miami’s bullpen, tying the score at five with two runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth.

The first of those runs came on a pinch-hit blast from Edward Olivares, who didn’t find his swing until later in spring training. Facing a lefty in Andrew Nardi, Olivares clobbered an 0-1 fastball out to left-center, his first in a Pirates uniform, traveling 413 feet to make it a 5-3 game.

Michael A. Taylor restarted things with a single, Bryan Reynolds contributed a book-rule double and Hayes walked to load the bases. Andrew McCutchen’s soft bouncer to short scored another run, 5-4.

In the following inning, Oneil Cruz found a fastball he liked from Sixto Sanchez, one that was up and away and a pitch the 6-foot-7 shortstop somehow deposited over the fence in left for his first home run of the season.

Cruz, of course, tied for the MLB lead in spring training home runs with seven. Little did anyone know, that would be the last run scored for several innings.

Reynolds proved his back is perfectly fine with his second-inning homer, which erased an early two-run lead for the Marlins. Sinker up, left-center, gone. Reynolds loves hitting heat, especially at the top of the zone, and he didn’t miss this particular pitch.

It went 406 feet, leaving his bat at 107.5 mph, but the score changed against nearly as quickly as the ball left the yard.

In the bottom of the third, Jake Burger lined a sweeper low and away into left for a two-run single. The Marlins scored another run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

This one included one of several mistakes for the Pirates — specifically Keller unable to start a successful double-play turn with an accurate throw in the third. Triolo committed an error an inning before, while the Pirates also had a sixth inning they’d rather forget, with Cruz and Triolo striking out looking with the bases loaded.

The bottom of the first was a dream for Keller, who threw just six pitches, all strikes. But he struggled in the second, victimized by a leadoff walk and more.

Following Triolo’s fumbled flip, Tim Anderson doubled Miami’s lead with his double into the right-field corner.

Keller concern?

In the spring, it was chalked up to a lack of intensity. Early-season stuff, Keller and Pirates manager Derek Shelton insisted. Well, it happened in the regular season, too.

The right-hander was missing a little over 2 mph on his sinker, the pitch averaging 91.7 mph against the Marlins compared to 93.9 mph last season. A dip in velocity was a little less pronounced on Keller’s four-seamer (95.2 mph to 93.8 on Thursday, a dip of 1.4 mph), but still.

There has to be some measure of concern considering what Keller means to the organization after he signed a five-year, $77 million contract extension this spring.

As for results, Keller had a second consecutive mediocre opening day start, allowing five runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings, walking two, hitting one and striking out three. To his credit, Keller had his bright spots and finished with 14 whiffs.

He actually finished strong, allowing just one single after the third, and did well to limit damage in the second frame, recording three consecutive outs to keep the Marlins’ output at two.

Left out

The Pirates surely did not need a reminder of Luzardo’s qualifications or his ability to suppress left-handed hitters. But they got one anyway on Thursday. Luzardo was really good in his five-inning start, allowing just Reynolds’ home run in the third inning.

Luzardo struck out eight and forced the Pirates into 18 whiffs, including 10 via his slider. The Marlins yanked Luzardo after just 85 pitches, 51 that he threw for strikes.

No big deal

Hayes, never one to celebrate himself, made a difficult play look easy in the bottom of the fourth. Second baseman Luis Arraez hit a pop up into foul territory beyond third base. Hayes calmly tracked back and caught the ball up against the netting.

It was nothing new for Hayes, the Gold Glove winner who casually snared a liner against the Yankees in the penultimate game of spring, but it was impressive nonetheless.

Up next

Martin Perez will make his Pirates debut at 7:10 p.m. Friday. He’s 1-1 with a 3.46 ERA in three career appearances against the Marlins.

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