By WILL GRAVES

The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bailey Falter allowed just two hits over six innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates made manager Don Kelly a winner in his debut, holding off the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Friday night.

Kelly, a Pittsburgh-area native promoted from bench coach to manager on Thursday after the club fired Derek Shelton, received a warm ovation when introduced before the game, then sat back and watched the Pirates put together a crisp nine innings of work that’s been elusive during their miserable start.

Alexander Canario, a late replacement for the struggling Tommy Pham, homered for the Pirates. Jared Triolo added his first of the season off Bryce Elder (2-2) as Pittsburgh ended a seven-game losing streak. Andrew McCutchen chipped in an RBI double for the Pirates.

Falter (2-3) wobbled in the first inning by letting two of the first three batters he faced to reach, but settled down quickly. The left-hander retired 15 of the last 16 batters he faced.

Dennis Santana endured a shaky ninth inning, giving up a sacrifice fly to Michael Harris II and a pinch-hit RBI single by Drake Baldwin, but held on to collect his fourth save.

Austin Riley had two of Atlanta’s seven hits as the Braves failed to reach .500 for the first time this season.

Elder had little trouble with one of the worst offenses in the majors, save for pitches to the light-hitting Canario and Triolo that they sent just over the wall to put the Pirates in front.

KEY MOMENT

David Bednar, a two-time All-Star closer for the Pirates now working in a set-up role after some early-season struggles, fanned Marcell Ozuna and Matt Olson to end the eighth when both represented the tying run.

KEY STAT

0-4 — Atlanta’s record this season when trying to get to .500.

UP NEXT

The series continues on Saturday. AJ Smith-Shawver (2-2, 3.00 ERA) starts for Atlanta against Pittsburgh’s Andrew Heaney (2-3, 3.18).

Pirates 3, Braves 2

Atlanta AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Albies 2b 5 0 0 0 0 1 .225

Riley 3b 4 0 2 0 0 0 .291

Ozuna dh 3 0 0 0 1 1 .269

Olson 1b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .222

White lf-rf 4 1 1 0 0 1 .301

Murphy c 3 0 0 0 1 2 .217

Harris cf 2 0 0 1 1 0 .226

Fairchild rf 2 0 0 0 0 0 .043

a-Verdugo ph-lf 2 1 1 0 0 1 .267

Allen ss 3 0 2 0 0 0 .260

b-Baldwin ph 1 0 1 1 0 0 .290

1-Williams pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

Totals 33 2 7 2 3 8

Pittsburgh AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Cruz cf 4 0 1 0 0 2 .246

Reynolds rf 3 1 1 0 0 1 .221

McCutchen dh 3 0 1 1 0 0 .259

Bart c 3 0 0 0 0 2 .255

Hayes 3b 3 0 0 0 0 2 .248

Gorski 1b 3 0 0 0 0 2 .182

Frazier 2b 3 0 0 0 0 1 .222

Canario lf 3 1 1 1 0 2 .136

Pham lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .183

Triolo ss 3 1 1 1 0 0 .150

Totals 28 3 5 3 0 12

Atlanta 000 000 002_2 7 0

Pittsburgh 001 002 00x_3 5 0

a-struck out for Fairchild in the 7th. b-singled for Allen in the 9th.

1-ran for Baldwin in the 9th.

LOB_Atlanta 8, Pittsburgh 1. 2B_McCutchen (7). 3B_White (3). HR_Canario (2), off Elder; Triolo (1), off Elder. RBIs_Harris (23), Baldwin (9), Canario (3), Triolo (2), McCutchen (13). SB_Williams (1). SF_Harris.

Runners left in scoring position_Atlanta 3 (Albies, Olson, White); Pittsburgh 1 (Bart). RISP_Atlanta 1 for 7; Pittsburgh 0 for 1.

GIDP_Reynolds.

DP_Atlanta 1 (Albies, Allen, Olson).

Atlanta IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Elder, L, 2-2 6 5 3 3 0 8 99 4.97

De Los Santos 1 0 0 0 0 2 16 3.57

Bummer 1 0 0 0 0 2 11 3.38

Pittsburgh IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Falter, W, 2-3 6 2 0 0 2 3 89 4.36

Shugart, H, 1 2-3 0 0 0 1 1 11 3.52

Ferguson, H, 5 1-3 0 0 0 0 1 5 4.41

Bednar, H, 3 1 2 0 0 0 3 23 4.50

Santana, S, 4-4 1 3 2 2 0 0 22 2.35

Inherited runners-scored_Ferguson 1-0.

Umpires_Home, Dan Bellino; First, Clint Vondrak; Second, Tony Randazzo; Third, Jacob Metz.

T_2:23. A_19,357 (38,753).