Pirates’ David Bednar ‘Really Happy’ to Be Playing for Fellow Yinzer Don Kelly

PITTSBURGH — The Pirates’ ties to their home city are running even deeper.

Don Kelly, a graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School, was promoted from bench coach to manager after Derek Shelton was fired on Thursday.

Kelly is the first Pirates’ manager from Pittsburgh since New Castle’s Chuck Tanner led the team from 1977-85.

The 45-year-old Kelly managed his first game in the Pirates’ 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park on Friday night. He said he couldn’t have envisioned a better first day on the job.

“It was great,” he said. “Friday night. All the guys were into it … it was great.”

Kelly isn’t the only native of Pittsburgh who wore the ‘PGH’ lettering on the front of the bright yellow city connect jersey in Friday night’s win.

David Bednar, who graduated from Mars High School, is back with the Pirates after a two-week stint in the minor leagues following early-season struggles.

Bednar has been performing well since he’s been back, and he handled a critical situation with ease to help carry the Pirates to a win.

Kelly brought the right-handed reliever into the game in the eighth inning with the Pirates ahead 3-0. Two singles brought the middle of the Braves’ lineup to the plate, each representing the potential tying run, but Bednar didn’t flinch.

With one out, Marcell Ozuna stepped into the right-handed batter’s box. The result was three pitches, three strikes, and a swinging strikeout on a curveball downstairs.

After Ozuna, Bednar dealt cleanup hitter Matt Olson the same fate by freezing the Braves’ first baseman on a curveball for strike three.

“His stuff has been really good,” Kelly said following the win. “To get the punchouts like he did with the curveball and really his stuff you know, has been there. The command is coming back and just the way he’s competing has been great.”

Though the two have shared a bond as a coach and player for the past five seasons in Pittsburgh, their relationship predates Bednar’s arrival to the Pirates.

Bednar is excited to get to call Kelly his manager.

“I think it goes back to more than my time here,” he said when asked about his relationship with Kelly. “I’ve known Donnie for a while now. Just who he is as a person, the positivity, everything. It’s awesome and I’m really happy for him to get this opportunity and really excited for him and his family.”

The Pirates’ win on Friday night was significant on several fronts.

Yes, it was Kelly’s first win as manager. For someone who grew up rooting for the team he now manages, that feeling has to be surreal. But the win also snapped a lengthy seven-game losing streak and put an end to a stretch in which the Pirates dropped 10 of 11.

“It’s good to get that first one and hopefully just keep the ball rolling,” Bednar said on the win.

After the game, Kelly noted a celebration with his players. Without getting into specifics, Kelly noted that it was “really cold.”

“It was a good one,” Bednar chuckled. “Everybody was super happy for him. Let’s get another one tomorrow.”

The Pirates are going to need to start stringing wins together. With Friday’s win, they are now 13-26 after to a disastrous start to the season, one that prompted the team to make a change at manager.

Who knows how the Pirates will finish the season. Maybe Kelly will provide a much-needed spark to a team that looked like they gave up on the season only six or seven weeks into it. Maybe nothing changes.

But at least for a night, there was a different feel around the Pirates — both in the clubhouse and on the field. Two proud Yinzers were a big reason why.