Ke'Bryan Hayes finds groove atop the order, as Pirates top Tigers to snap 6-game losing streak

Since trading Adam Frazier to San Diego on July 26, the Pittsburgh Pirates had tried eight players in their search for a leadoff hitter before Derek Shelton approached Ke’Bryan Hayes.

The revolving door at the top of the order had coincided with the rookie third baseman’s batting average dropping from .263 to .246 since Frazier was dealt to the Padres for prospects. So the Pirates manager made a move to get Hayes going by giving him more at-bats.

“Nothing scientific behind it,” Shelton said. “I thought it would be a good idea.”

It turned out to be exactly what Hayes and the team needed. Hayes went 3 for 4, with two RBIs and two runs to boost the Pirates past the Detroit Tigers, 6-3, on Monday before an announced Labor Day crowd of 11,141 at PNC Park.

Hayes delivered a two-run single to right field in the seventh for the go-ahead run, and Yoshi Tsutsugo added another two-run single to right for the cushion. The Pirates (49-89) snapped a six-game losing streak after a road trip to Chicago in which they lost two games to the White Sox and four to the Cubs. The Pirates are 29-38 at home, 20-51 on the road.

“It always feels great to get a win, first game back at home,” Hayes said. “We had a tough, tough series in Chicago. We were going back and forth, back and forth, and they were just able to get that one extra big hit towards the end of the game.

“We play hard every day, whether we’re winning or losing, whether we’re on a three-game winning streak or a five-game losing streak. We’re a young team. We’re all still learning. We’ve had a whole bunch of moving pieces this year. We’re trying to battle every day, come in every single day with a clean, fresh slate.”

Hayes started the first inning with a leadoff single to third, and Kevin Newman drove an 0-1 sinker 395 feet to left field for his fifth home run and a 2-0 Pirates lead.

The Tigers (65-74) scored three runs in the sixth to take the lead. After allowing three hits through the first five innings, Pirates starter Bryse Wilson gave up a one-out double to Robbie Grossman, walked Jeimer Candelario and gave up a single to Eric Haase. That set the stage for Niko Goodrum, who hit Wilson’s first-pitch slider for a two-run double down the first-base line — and past a diving Tsutsugo — to tie the score.

“It was the right pitch, just the wrong location,” said Wilson, who allowed six hits and two walks while striking out four on 83 pitches. “We get that up just a little bit more, and it’s a positive result.”

Pinch hitter Miguel Cabrera drove in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to center to score Haase. The Pirates’ bullpen came through with three scoreless innings, as Chasen Shreve (3-1) got the win, Chris Stratton pitched the eighth and David Bednar struck out the side in the ninth for his third save.

In the seventh, Ben Gamel drew a leadoff walk and reached second on a balk by Tigers reliever Kyle Funkhouser (6-3). Cole Tucker singled, and Colin Moran drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases for Hayes, whose single to right field gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead. Tsutsugo hit a two-out single to right to make it 6-3.

After trying Gamel, Wilmer Difo, Phillip Evans, Hoy Park, Newman, Tsutsugo, Michael Chavis and Tucker in the leadoff spot, the Pirates finally might have found a fit. Whether he stays atop the order doesn’t matter much to Hayes, who had batted second in 69 of his previous 78 games.

“I feel like nowadays it doesn’t really matter. Leadoff is just like hitting anywhere else. You’re the first guy of the team hitting. As the game goes on, it’s just like hitting second, third or fourth,” Hayes said. “They’re going to do their homework on you and pitch you the same way as if you’re batting second or third or first. I don’t really care. As long as I’m out there playing, I can bat first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth … It’s all the same to me.”