Joyce powers Pirates in win over Braves
PITTSBURGH -- Matt Joyce had a home run among his three hits and drove in three runs, Gregory Polanco had three hits and three runs scored and Jon Niese pitched six effective innings to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-5 win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.
Joyce stepped into the starting lineup and played right field as left fielder Starling Marte was placed on the paternity list before the game after his wife gave birth to a daughter in the morning. Polanco moved from right field to left to take Marte's spot.
Joyce connected for his fifth home run, a two-run shot deep into the left-field bleachers, off Alexi Ogando in the seventh inning to increase the Pirates' lead to 8-2.
Niese (4-2) allowed two runs and five hits with six strikeouts and two walks. It was just Niese's third quality start in eight outings this season, though the Pirates are 6-2 in the games he has pitched, and he improved his career record against the Braves to 10-6.
Mark Melancon pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 12th save in 13 opportunities.
David Freese had two of the 13 hits by the Pirates (20-17). Francisco Cervelli and Josh Harrison each drove in two runs.
The Braves lost for the ninth time in 11 games in falling to 9-28, the worst record in the major leagues.
Atlanta's runs came on a pair of home runs, a two-run blast by Jeff Francoeur in the sixth off Niese that made it 6-2 and a three-run shot by Kelly Johnson in the eighth off Cory Luebke that cut the deficit to 8-5.
It was the first multi-homer game since opening day for the Braves, who have gone deep just 11 times in 37 games, easily the lowest figure in the major leagues. Francoeur and Johnson connected for the first time this season.
Williams Perez (1-1) was tagged for six runs and nine hits in six innings. In his previous start, he held Philadelphia Phillies to one run and two hits in eight innings for the win last Wednesday.
Johnson and Freddie Freeman had two hits each for the Braves.
The Pirates jumped on Perez for three runs in the first inning. The first scored on a wild pitch and the second came on a ground out by Francisco Cervelli before Matt Joyce capped the frame with an RBI single.
A two-run third increased the lead to 5-0. Cervelli singled in a run and Harrison drove in a run on a ground out.
Harrison had another RBI in the fifth when he tripled into the right-field corner.
NOTES: Pirates LF Starling Marte was placed on the paternity list and INF/OF Alen Hanson was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. Players on paternity leave can miss up to three days. Hanson, 23, hit .288 with two home runs, 10 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 27 games for Indianapolis. RF Gregory Polanco moved to left field to take Marte's place and OF Matt Joyce started in right field. ... Pirates 3B Jung Ho Kang was not in the lineup after starting all three games of the weekend series against the Cubs at Chicago. INF David Freese started at third. The Pirates are slowly working Kang back into action as he was activated from the disabled list May 6 after undergoing reconstructive left knee surgery last September. ... Braves 3B Gordon Beckham was rested after starting six consecutive games since being activated from the disabled list May 10. Beckham, who missed three weeks with a strained left hamstring, was replaced by INF/OF Chase d'Arnaud. ... Braves RHP Aaron Blair (0-2, 4.05 ERA) is scheduled to face RHP Juan Nicasio (3-3, 4.34 ERA) on Tuesday night in the second game of the four-game series.