PITTSBURGH _ When manager Derek Shelton began scratching out lineups for the 2020 season, the original thought seemed to include Kevin Newman first, as he excelled in that spot last season.
If something happened, perhaps Jarrod Dyson could bump up in the order and use his speed. Meanwhile, it looked like Adam Frazier would get first crack at the No. 3 spot.
Less than a week into the season, those preconceived notions are no more.
Batting leadoff Tuesday against the Brewers at PNC Park, Frazier hit the go-ahead home run in the eighth inning and the Pirates rolled to an 8-6 victory, one that got a little ugly late as both bullpens kicked it around in the later innings.
After the Brewers put together a four-run seventh, the Pirates tied the score in the bottom half. Then Frazier, facing Bobby Wahl, lashed a four-seam fastball to right field, giving the Pirates a two-run cushion.
It was the first home run of the season for Frazier, who had five from the top spot last year. For his career, Frazier has eight leadoff homers, a number surpassed only by Barry Bonds (20) and Al Martin (10) in Pirates history.
Another big development Tuesday happened a little further down the lineup, where Shelton has placed Bryan Reynolds, after a tough start to the season, in the No. 5 spot. Reynolds collected a pair of hits against Milwaukee.
It had been a rough first four games for Reynolds, who started the season 0 for 13, the longest slump of his young career. But in the second inning, Reynolds dumped a single into left-center field, boosting his confidence.
Two innings later, Reynolds drove a double to right field and scored when another hitless streak came to a close, this one from Guillermo Heredia.
Acquired in the offseason for outfield depth, Heredia had been hitless in seven at-bats. But with the bases loaded in the fourth, he drove an elevated, first-pitch slider into left field for a two-run single, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
Meanwhile, after starting out 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts and 14 men left on base, Cole Tucker, starting in right field, recovered nicely with a single and a double.
A night after he was not used because Shelton didn't want him pitching on back-to-back days, Nick Burdi pitched a scoreless ninth and picked up the first save of his career.
The Pirates improved to 2-3 on the season, setting up a rubber match of this series Wednesday with Joe Musgrove squaring off against Brandon Woodruff.
The trouble for the Pirates started in the seventh inning, when Chris Stratton and Miguel Del Pozo combined to walk the first four batters they faced.
When Del Pozo issued a free pass to catcher Manny Pina, the Brewers had a 3-2 lead. Shortstop Orlando Arcia, the No. 9 hitter, followed with a drive to right _ a two-run double that hit off the railing _ before second baseman Keston Hiura drove in one more with a sacrifice fly.
But apparently the Brewers did not want the Pirates to feel alone because their bullpen began to leak oil, too, starting with the simple ability to throw strikes.
Brent Sutter allowed back-to-back singles to start, hit Frazier, then walked Newman to score a run, making it a three-run game.
First baseman Justin Smoak followed by airmailing a double-play ball off the bat of Colin Moran, chucking it into the outfield and allowing John Ryan Murphy and Frazier to score easily, bringing the Pirates to within one at 6-5.
The Pirates tied the score with another clutch hit from Phillip Evans, who was hitting .429 at the start of the game. Newman jogged home easily from third on Evans' hustle double.
Derek Holland should like most of his start, his first in a Pirates uniform, except for the end. That's when Hiura continued his success against Pittsburgh, specifically at PNC Park.
Although he's just a second-year player with 331 at-bats prior to Tuesday, Hiura began the game with six home runs against the Pirates, five of them coming at PNC Park.
Hiura added to those totals in the sixth inning when he drove a curveball from Holland over the North Side Notch for a two-run homer, tying the game at 2.
It was just the second hit Holland allowed dating back to center fielder Lorenzo Cain's single to lead off the game, but it sort of soured what was an otherwise strong start.
Over 5 2/3 innings, Holland walked three and struck out five, two of those coming on changeups and another pair on curveballs _ pitches Holland has been trying to rework into his repertoire.
Holland picked off Brewers right fielder Avisail Garcia with a terrific move in the second. He got Milwaukee slugger Christian Yelich to bounce into a double play in the fourth.
While Holland would've preferred the win, he absolutely did enough to justify his place in the rotation and give himself something to build on for start No. 2, which will likely come next week against the Twins at Target Field.
