DETROIT — Starling Marte hit a two-run home run in the top of the tenth inning off Shane Greene in the Pirates 5-3 win against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday.
"It was breaking ball right down the middle, and I hit it," Marte said.
Marte was hitless in the previous two games against the Washington Nationals and was 0-3 before the home run that scored pinch-hitter, Jason Martin.
"It's tough when you're struggling. Sometimes I'd get a pitch I should hit, and I'd miss, and that's tough. In this situation, I was able to come through. It felt good to get that hit.
Richard Rodriguez bounced from giving up two home runs in a Pirates loss on Friday with a scoreless eighth.
"Richard is learning to pitch in big situations," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He's not sneaking up on anybody anymore. He's got a target now. He's got punched in the mouth some to start the season, and now he's hitting back.'
Rodriguez had five scoreless outings before Saturday and had a clean inning on Tuesday.
Unfortunately for the Pirates Keone Kela didn't. Kela gave up a run off a Jeimer Candelario single that tied the game at 3 in the ninth inning. It was Kela's fourth consecutive outing giving up a run. After the win Hurdle expressed confidence in Kela.
"He's still working," Hurdle said. "He wants to pitch clean innings. I tip my hat to him. They got one, but they didn't get any more. If he gives up another run the game is over, and we're in here talking about a different story."
Christin Stewart started the inning with double and replaced by pinch-runner Dustin Peterson. Candelario drove him in the next at-bat. Kela retired the next three hitters to end the ninth tied at 3.
"The first hit was an 0-2 hanging breaking ball. The other was the guy getting a good swing on a fastball," Hurdle said. "He was able to settle in getting some work done and finish some people. His teammates picked him up. He's still working. He wants to be better."
Rodriguez pitched the eighth inning and Hurdle said before the game that he was going to stay away from using closer Felipe Vazquez and Nick Burdi. Kyle Crick was back off the IL, but Hurdle said before the game that he would prefer to ease Crick back in so that left Kela, who had given up runs in each of his previous outings.
"He had a whole bunch of saves for the Rangers last season," Hurdle said. "The way the game played out with Joe (Musgrove) giving us seven and Rodriguez only had one lifetime save. (Francisco) Liriano may have one I didn't know about. We wanted to give him the ball in that situation."
Kela's blown save is the fifth in ten save opportunities for the Pirates
"I want to get the job done the right way. Not the way we've been doing it," Kela referring to the blown leads. "They brought me over here to be a shutdown guy, and I haven't been that. I'm thankful for my teammates picking me up. But on an individual basis, I need to be able to go out there shut it down so I can turn the ball over to the next guy."
Kela expressed appreciation for Hurdle's belief in him.
"It's big that he is confident in me," Kela said. "There is a reason for me to come over here and it isn't to do what I've been displaying. I haven't been performing to the ability I believe I can. I will keep working and talking to my peers to get better."
Joe Musgrove slightly outdueled Matt Boyd. Musgrove surrendered two runs on six hits and a walk during seven innings of work. Musgrove struck out six Tigers.
"I felt good out there. I was comfortable in the zone," Musgrove said. "I was having early success with off-speed pitches in the zone. I was able to work through a jam in the fourth inning. I had to slow the game then and focus on one pitch at a time to get out of it."
Boyd threw seven innings and gave up three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and a walk. Musgrove enjoyed the competition.
"That guy is a good pitcher. Runs are hard to come by when he's out there," Musgrove said. "It keeps me sharp facing guys like that. I want to match them and go pitch-for-pitch with him."
Musgrove indeed went pitch-for-pitch with Boys. Both threw 104 pitches in the game.
Jung Ho Kang entered Tuesday's game hitless in previous 18 at-bats and only one hit in 27 at-bats going since hitting a home run on April 3rd.
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle sat Kang for the last two games against the Washington Nationals. The Pirates off day gave Kang three days to work on his craft. Kang's effort paid off early as he drove in Melky Cabrera to score the first run of the game. Kang hit a home run off Boyd to give the 3-0 lead in the third inning.
Nick Kingham pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the tenth for his first ever big league save.
"I'll always remember this one," Kingham said. "It's a great win for the team and I'm glad I could be part of it."
Kingham hadn't pitched in a game since April 7th against the Cincinnati Reds.
Nubyjas Wilborn/nwilborn@post-gazette.com Twitter @nwilborn19
First Published: April 17, 2019, 1:55 a.m.
