PIRATES DEFEAT MARLINS 5-3

BELL ENDS HOMER DROUGHT IN WIN OVER MARLINS

Ten days ago, amid Josh Bell's lengthy home run and RBI drought, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said he still sees the switch-hitting first baseman as a run producer. Bell hasn't played that role this season the same way he did last year, when he hit 26 homers and drove in 90 runs, but as Hurdle reminded: "The book's not finished being written this year."

Maybe the last chapter will be Bell's best. He snapped out of his slump on Friday night at PNC Park by launching a two-run homer off Dan Straily into the Marlins bullpen in the second inning, his first home run and first RBIs since Aug. 11. That wasn't the only encouraging offensive performance the Pirates saw, either. Kevin Kramer recorded his first big league hit and RBI, and Jordan Luplow went deep in the seventh as Pittsburgh came back to beat Miami, 5-3.

It was also a reminder of Bell's ability. Hurdle said he has spoken with Bell about how he can finish strong, building momentum for next season. He has hit nine homers, driven in 56 runs and seen his slugging percentage drop from .466 to .397 this year. Bell sat out Tuesday and Wednesday before the Bucs' off-day on Thursday after hitting .172 with a .548 OPS in 19 games between home runs.

Bell hit Straily's full-count fastball with authority, hammering the ball 403 feet to left-center field -- rare territory for a left-handed hitter, as Hurdle noted -- with an exit velocity of 104 mph, according to Statcast™. It was the kind of power he often showed last year, the kind of middle-of-the-order thump the Pirates could use next season and beyond.

That put the Pirates ahead by two, but Archer gave up the lead in the sixth. J.T. Realmuto doubled, Brian Anderson walked, and Lewis Brinson smashed a 2-0 slider out to left field for a three-run homer. Walking Anderson bothered Archer more than anything, but the deficit would not last long.

When Archer walked into the dugout, he found Kramer, who's been in the big leagues for all of four days, and delivered a message: "Hey man, you're going to get the knock that is going to tie the game."

Sure enough, Kramer stepped to the plate in the seventh and knocked Tayron Guerrero's 100.6-mph fastball up the middle for a game-tying single.

Up came Luplow, who was in the game only as a replacement for the injured Gregory Polanco -- who exited during the sixth inning with left knee and left shoulder discomfort after an awkward slide.

Luplow spent most of this season with Indianapolis after rushing through the Minors to make his big league debut a year ago, and he has struggled to translate his Triple-A success to the Majors. But he blasted a 1-2, 100.3-mph fastball from Guerrero out to right-center field to give the Pirates a two-run lead.

MOMENT THAT MATTERED

PROUD FAMILY: A dozen members of Kramer's family were going to be in Pittsburgh on Friday whether he played or not, but their cross-country, red-eye flights were rewarded with the rookie's first career start. Before tying the game later, Kramer gave them reason to cheer with his first hit -- a line-drive single to right in the third inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

MARLINS: SS JT Riddle (wrist) did not start for the fourth straight game and remains day-to-day. Manager Don Mattingly said he was available to play defense or pinch run.

PIRATES: RHP Chad Kuhl (right forearm strain) pitched off flat ground and off a mound, throwing 20 changeups in his first bullpen work since being placed on the disabled list in late June. He remains on track to return to the mound this season.

UP NEXT

MARLINS: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (6-9, 4.64 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday. He has a 1.77 ERA in 12 home starts and a 9.35 ERA in 10 road starts.

PIRATES: RHP Ivan Nova (7-9, 4.35 ERA) has lost three straight. He has a 3.86 ERA in that span, but the Pirates have not scored a run while he’s been in the game.