ATLANTA -- Gregory Polanco was back on the Pirates' active roster, but not in the starting lineup, on Thursday at SunTrust Park.
The Pirates reinstated Polanco from the 10-day disabled list on the first day he was eligible to return. Pittsburgh went 5-4 while Polanco was sidelined with a left hamstring strain. To make room for Polanco, the Bucs optioned outfielder Danny Ortiz to Triple-A Indianapolis.
"I'm very happy," Polanco said Thursday morning. "I'm very excited to be back on the roster and to be healthy, to be able to help the team the most I can and be out there on the field with my guys."
Polanco ran the bases on Wednesday to complete the final step in his rehabilitation process. He said he was able to run hard with no hesitation, a sign he was ready to play. The Pirates decided against sending Polanco on a Minor League rehab assignment, which they did earlier this season for Adam Frazier, but not for David Freese.
"I'm cool with that. I feel good," Polanco said. "I feel ready."
After a rough start to the season, Polanco felt he was hitting his stride before the injury. The right fielder went 11-for-33 with a homer and four doubles over the 10 games prior to his injury. That stretched improved Polanco's slash line from .221/.316/.302 to .252/.336/.370.
Polanco was not in the lineup on his first day back, however. The Pirates started Jose Osuna in right field against 44-year-old right-hander Bartolo Colon.
Andrew McCutchen, working to solve his season-long slump, did not start for the second straight day. Hot-hitting super-utility man Frazier started in center field, and Josh Harrison moved out of the infield to start in left field.
Taillon making progress
Right-hander Jameson Taillon threw his second bullpen session since undergoing surgery for testicular cancer. After tossing 25 pitches on Tuesday, Taillon said he threw a "more competitive" 35-pitch session Thursday morning.
Taillon threw all of his pitches and introduced game-like sequences. Bullpen coach Euclides Rojas stepped in to give Taillon a better feel for facing hitters, and Taillon joked that he struck out Rojas a few times. Rojas did not have a bat in his hands.

About last night
The Pirates' 10th-inning outburst Wednesday night included a rare eruption of power when Freese, Osuna and Jordy Mercer hit back-to-back-to-back home runs. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there had been only two other games in which a team hit three consecutive homers in the 10th inning or later; the Twins hit four straight in the 11th on May 2, 1964, and the Royals went back to back to back in the 11th against Hideki Irabu on May 31, 2002.
The Pirates' seven-run frame was their most productive extra inning since they plated eight runs in the 10th against the Reds on May 25, 2007, at Great American Ball Park.