Don Kelly ejected in Pirates' 11-inning loss to Atlanta

In a season that’s been largely bereft of good vibrations, Friday night at PNC Park offered a rare dose of positivity as the Pittsburgh Pirates came away with a victory in Don Kelly’s managerial debut, one day following the firing of Derek Shelton.

On the drive home from the ballpark, Kelly, a Mt. Lebanon graduate with extensive ties to the Pittsburgh area, allowed himself to soak things in.

“It’s humbling,” Kelly said. “Knowing Chuck Tanner, playing for Jim (Leyland), the history of the organization, to be part of that, is really special.”

However, a new task promptly emerged for Kelly on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves, as he and the Pirates looked for their first series win in more than two weeks.

Unfortunately for the Pirates, a chance at taking the series will have to wait until Sunday as Atlanta dealt them a 3-2 loss in 11 innings in front of 27,767 fans, marking the first defeat of Kelly’s tenure.

A wild pitch by Chase Shugart in the 11th that sailed to the backstop allowed Atlanta automatic runner Matt Olson, who advanced to third on a Sean Murphy groundout, to score the winning run.

In the bottom of the 11th, the Pirates stranded Alexander Canario on third base, with Tommy Pham grounding out to end the game.

Trailing by a run in the eighth, Matt Gorski had tied the score 2-2 with an infield single, scoring Ji Hwan Bae from third.

Bae pinch-ran for Joey Bart, who got aboard with a single, with Bae stealing second before advancing to third on a Ke’Bryan Hayes groundout.

But on the whole, it was a day of frustration for the Pirates’ batters, who stranded 14 and went 2 for 18 with runners in scoring position.

Kelly, only managing his second game for the Pirates (13-27), was ejected with no outs in the top of the sixth by home plate umpire Clint Vondrak for arguing balls and strikes.

With the Pirates currently minus a bench coach, Kelly’s former position that’s yet to be filled, third base coach Mike Rabelo pulled double duty and managed the club for the final three innings.

One major question for the Pirates at first pitch was what version of Andrew Heaney would take the hill.

The 33-year-old lefty had been roughed up in his past two starts, failing to last five innings in either, but also delivered three quality starts in April.

Heaney allowing three doubles through the first two innings, the last of which by Michael Harris drove in Sean Murphy to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the second, wasn’t an encouraging beginning.

However, Heaney (2-3, 3.15 ERA) recovered to deliver a quality start, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings, walking three with two strikeouts and taking a no-decision.

Furthermore, Bryan Reynolds in right field did Heaney no favors on two of the three extra-base hits.

In the first inning, Reynolds failed to make a catch at the outfield wall by Marcell Ozuna, with the ball bouncing in and out of his glove.

Then, Reynolds misjudged Harris’ line drive, which sailed over his head, plating Murphy.

Reynolds was not charged with an error on either play.

The Braves took a 2-0 lead in the third when Olson lifted a 3-1 sinker from Heaney over the center-field wall for a solo homer.

The Pirates trimmed their deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the third, courtesy of an RBI single by Bart that plated Oneil Cruz, who beat a double play ball to get aboard before stealing second base.

Following clean fourth and fifth frames, Heaney stayed in the game to begin the sixth inning for the first time since April 23.

After Heaney delivered ball two to Olson, leading off the inning, Kelly was ejected.

Bart and Matt Gorski singled in the bottom of the sixth, knocking Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver out of the game, but the Pirates squandered a chance to tie things, with Adam Frazier flying out to end the inning.

In the seventh, Canario led off with a double, but Jared Triolo botched a bunt attempt, popping out to the pitcher’s mound before Cruz and Reynolds struck out to end the inning.

Cruz and Pham, who replaced Reynolds in the eighth, began the bottom of the ninth with walks off Daysbel Hernandez, but Andrew McCutchen grounded into a double play and Henry Davis, who subbed in for Bart, grounded out to send the game to extra innings.

David Bednar, Dennis Santana and Caleb Ferguson delivered scoreless frames for the Pirates in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings.