PITTSBURGH — Starling Marte hit a two-run homer off Jose Ramirez in the 10th inning, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.
The Braves had taken the lead in the top of the inning on an RBI groundout by Tyler Flowers, but Pittsburgh wasted little time getting to Ramirez (0-1).
Adam Frazier doubled leading off the 10th and Marte drove the next pitch into the visitor's bullpen beyond the center field fence as the Pirates completed their first three-game sweep of Atlanta since 1994.
Marte finished 4 for 5 with two runs and two RBIs. Frazier added three hits for the Pirates. Felipe Rivero (1-0) picked up the victory, the 100th walk-off in the 16-year history of PNC Park.
Freddie Freeman hit his first two home runs of the season for Atlanta. Dansby Swanson added a solo shot but the Braves' bullpen couldn't hold a solid start by Julio Teheran. The Pirates tied it on a run-scoring grounder by Francisco Cervelli against Jim Johnson, and then won it off Ramirez.
Johnson came on trying to protect a one-run lead in the ninth. Pittsburgh loaded the bases with one out and tied it when Atlanta second baseman Brandon Phillips dropped the ball while trying to transfer it to his glove thanks to a hard but legal slide by David Freese.
Johnson escaped the inning without further damage and the Braves appeared to be just fine when Markakis sprinted home on Flowers' sharp grounder to third the next inning.
It didn't last.
Teheran kept the Pirates in check save for a slight stumble in the fourth, when a botched pickoff attempt at first opened the door for Pittsburgh to tie the game at 2 on an RBI double by Josh Bell and a run-scoring single by Jordy Mercer.
Teheran left after allowing two unearned runs in seven innings, walking one and striking out four.
Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole dominated for four innings against Boston in the first opening-day start of his career before falling apart in the fifth of an eventual 5-3 loss. The major mistakes were few six days later against the Braves, though there were plenty of minor missteps.
The 26-year-old tasked with being the ace of the third-youngest starting staff in the majors gave up a home run to Swanson in the first, another to Freeman in the fifth and failed to retire the Braves in order during any of his six innings of work, striking out four and walking two.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: LF Matt Kemp sat out a second straight game for tightness in his right hamstring but is hopeful to play on Monday in Miami.
Pirates: Freese was held out of the starting lineup with a bruised clavicle. He entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth and drew a walk. He then stayed in to play first base.
UP NEXT
Braves: Finishes up season-opening eight-game road trip on Tuesday when they start a two-game set with Miami. Bartolo Colon will make his 511th career start and second with the Braves.
Pirates: Begin a three-game series with Cincinnati on Monday. Jameson Taillon, who tossed seven shutout innings last week against Boston, makes his second start of the season.
