Prized rookie has impact in his debut

Hayes sparks rally from 5- run deficit in sixth, hits tying home run in eighth

Ke’Bryan Hayes stood in the on- deck circle at PNC Park and cocked his neck from sidetoside in the sixth inning Tuesday. With a slow, confident walk after Colin Moran jogged to first following a base on balls, Hayes arrived at home plate still waiting to make a serious impact in his MLB debut.

To that point, the slick- fielding third baseman had made a smooth play while ranging to his left, moved a runner over with a ground ball to the right side and struck out looking. Not bad, but nothing about which to write home.

With a couple of smooth strokes, the 23- year- old native of Tomball, Texas, the firstround pick with the famous father, created a few of his own major league memories: a double off the wall in the sixth, then a solo home run in the eighth, after the Pirates and Cubs returned from a 71minute rain delay.

In the process, Hayes unquestionably stole the show and gave Pirates fans a glimpse of what’s to come, the ability to drive the ball mixed with elite defensive skills where Hayes’ first- step quickness and soft hands allow him to make even the most difficult plays look routine.

Unfortunately for Hayes, the Pirates lost his debut, 8- 7, as Mt. Lebanon native Ian Happ singled home second baseman Nico Hoerner in the 11th inning and the Pirates couldn’t answer. But at this point in their season, it’s more about individual performances than anything for the Pirates ( 10- 23).

The highlight for Hayes came off Cubs reliever Dan Winkler. Cubs pitchers were clearly intent on feeding Hayes cutters. With a 2- 0 count, he sat on one and got it, blasting the middle- in pitch 410 feet to center field and bringing the Pirates all the way back from a five- run deficit.

Although it will be overshadowed, the ball Hayes hit in the sixth inning was hardly a squibber. The 108.5- mph rocket hit off the base of the wall in left and ignited a four - run rally.

Hayes celebrated his first major league hit with a slide into second base, the youngster rising to his feet and struggling to hide a sheepish smile while flicking dirt off his chest and gesturing to teammates in the dugout.

It was exciting, but it was hardly Hayes’ best slide of the night. That came in the bottom of the 10th, when he slid under Cubs catcher Willson Contreras’ tag to tie the score, 7- 7.

The Pirates’ sixth- inning uprising continued with a run- scoring single from Adam Frazier before Hayes crossed home plate on Jose Osuna’s double.

Hayes’ first at- bat was productive and also indicative of who he is as a baseball player. In the second inning, after Colin Moran stroked a leadoff double, Hayes took an insideout approach and pushed another inside cutter from Lester toward second base.

It looked purposeful, the antiquated play of moving a runner as relied- upon as the Yellow Pages in this era of baseball, but it tracks with Hayes’ personality. Ke’Bryan’s father, Charlie, spoke with the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette on Sunday and talked at length about his son’s love of baseball, his understanding and appreciation for its nuance.

In the minors, Ke’Bryan Hayes won three consecutive Gold Gloves with a fairly basic approach: fielding drills he’s been doing his entire life, and a lot of them. Hayes’ smooth fielding was obvious in the bottom of the second, when he ranged to his left and snared a rising one- hopper, flinging a dart of a throw across the infield.

Hayes’ inexperience was there, too: when he forgot the number of outs and threw home to end the ninth and when he struck out looking on a 93 mph fastball to force extra innings. But even those moments were fun to watch, Hayes not arguing or pouting after the strikeouts and laughing a little when his mind evidently drifted.

The Pirates trailed early in Hayes’ debut because they couldn’t keep the Cubs offense in check. Happ homered on the second pitch of the game, and Chad Kuhl walked in a run in the second. Jason Kipnis dinged the Pirates with a two- out, one- run single in the fourth. A double from shortstop Javier Baez and left fielder Kyle Schwarber’s homer gave the Cubs a 6- 1 lead in the fifth.