Triolo's first homer sweetened by fellow Bucs rookies

PITTSBURGH -- As Liover Peguero and Endy Rodríguez stood by home plate and waited for Jared Triolo to round the bases after hitting his first Major League home run, they stood tall, leaned back slightly and crossed their arms, à la Rays All-Star Randy Arozarena.

“We were standing at home plate and I thought, ‘We have to do something,’” Rodríguez said.

Peguero and Rodríguez had seen Triolo homer in Single-A. They’d seen him homer in Double-A. They’d seen him homer in Triple-A. On Sunday afternoon at PNC Park, they finally saw Triolo homer at the Major League level, a pinch-hit three-run shot in the seventh inning that barely cleared the left-field fence to deliver a 4-2 Pirates win over the Reds in the first game of the split doubleheader.

“It was awesome seeing them there,” Triolo said. “They’ve just been waiting for me to get [my first home run]. I did today, got back to the dugout and the coaches were fired up and other teammates, so it was awesome.”

If not for the patience of Peguero and Rodríguez to begin the inning, Triolo wouldn’t have had the opportunity to play the role of hero.

Peguero led off the seventh by drawing a seven-pitch walk against Lucas Sims. After Alfonso Rivas advanced Peguero to second base on a sacrifice bunt, Endy Rodríguez entered as a pinch-hitter and drew a seven-pitch walk, his coming against Alex Young, to put runners on first and second. Jason Delay was originally scheduled to hit, but manager Derek Shelton instead opted for Triolo to pinch-hit, something that Triolo had only done on one other occasion at the Major League level.

“I’ve been trying to figure [pinch-hitting] out in the past couple weeks that I’ve been up here,” Triolo said. “Just watching other guys. All the guys have great routines. I’m just trying to do what they do with my own take on it.”

Young, a southpaw, began the plate appearance against Triolo with a perfectly placed changeup, an offspeed offering that fell off the table and got Triolo to swing and miss. Five pitches later, with the count full, Young went back to the changeup. Unlike the first changeup, Young left the payoff offering up in the zone, and Triolo’s bat found the barrel.

No one quite knew off the bat if Triolo’s line drive was going to clear the fence. Triolo, for sure, hit the ball hard -- at 108.1 mph, it was the hardest-hit ball of Triolo’s young career -- but off the bat, it was hard to tell if there was enough loft.

What Peguero and Rodríguez did know was that left fielder Stuart Fairchild had no shot of making the catch. As the ball zipped towards left field, both rookies turned on the burners in an attempt to score. When the crowd roared and a cacophony of cheers filled the North Shore, Peguero and Rodríguez slowed down to cruising speed, content to enjoy their jog around the bases and soak up the Sunday crowd. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, no Pirates rookie had hit his first career home run with at least two rookies on base since 1958 (the first season with official rookie rules).

“We waited how long? A month-and-a-half?” Rodríguez said. “Come on buddy. Now he got it, finally.”

Added Rodríguez to Triolo, “I’m joking, don’t be mad.”

Triolo’s teammates had, indeed, been waiting for a while for him to finally cross this achievement off his bucket list -- 46 days, to be exact. Triolo’s home run drought extended beyond his time with the Pirates; prior to Sunday, the last time Triolo had homered at any level was June 13 with Triple-A Indianapolis. Since debuting on June 28, Triolo was on hand to witness Peguero and Rodríguez hit the first home runs of their career. In the 128th plate appearance of his Major League career, Triolo eliminated that zero in the home run column.

Triolo’s first home run was always going to be special, regardless of circumstance, but in addition to his long ball being the eventual game-winner, Triolo had his father, Tom, and mother, Lesa, in attendance to witness the achievement.

“I think my mom was crying after the game,” Triolo said. “The last time I saw her cry was my debut.”