Marlins vs Pirates Recap: Pirates Rally for 3-2 Win

The Marlins came to Pittsburgh looking to stay hot. Miami was riding a six-game winning streak and had just beaten the Pirates 8-3 the night before. But Saturday at PNC Park told a different story. The Pirates needed this win badly. They were struggling, losing two straight games before facing Miami. The final score was Pirates 3, Marlins 2—but it came down to one swing late. Right from the first inning, Pittsburgh wanted payback. Ryan O'Hearn stepped up to face Lake Bachar throwing heat. Bachar fired an 87-mile-per-hour curve that O'Hearn smoked to right field. Spencer Horwitz raced home, and the Pirates had their first run. Brandon Lowe was on second, but he stayed put. One-nothing Pirates, and the crowd was already loud.

The Marlins got on the board in the third inning when Liam Hicks drove a single to left field. Jakob Marsee bolted home from second base. Tied at 1-1, the game was heating up. Then Pittsburgh answered right back in the bottom of the third. Bryan Reynolds smacked a double to center field with hard contact. Horwitz scored again, and the Pirates went back ahead 2-1. Both offenses were clicking. In the sixth inning, Miami tied it up. Heriberto Hernandez singled to left, and Xavier Edwards raced home. The game was knotted at 2-2. Bubba Chandler had been tough for Pittsburgh, striking out six batters through five and two-thirds innings. Mason Montgomery came in for relief. The momentum was shifting back and forth like a pendulum.

The eighth inning changed everything. Spencer Horwitz stepped into the box facing Anthony Bender. The pitch came in hard, and Bender threw one right at Horwitz. He got hit by the pitch, which meant he earned a free trip to first base. But that wasn't just any hit-by-pitch. Callihan was on third base, and he sprinted home. The Pirates were suddenly up 3-2. Triolo was on second, Mangum was on third. Miami needed one big swing to tie it up or take the lead. They could not find it. Yohan Ramirez came on in the ninth inning for Pittsburgh. He threw strikes and got batters to swing and miss. Gregory Soto slammed the door with a save. The Pirates held on. Final score: Pirates 3, Marlins 2. Both teams stayed at 35-35, tied in the standings.