Reliever Felipe Rivero hadn’t allowed a run in 8.2 innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates (62-57), but that all changed Friday night.
Up 5-3 heading into eighth inning, Rivero gave up a home run to the Miami Marlins’ Miguel Rojas and a game-tying RBI single to Christian Yelich. An inning later, Robert Andino hit an RBI single off Pittsburgh reliever Neftali Feliz that proved to be the game-winning run.
The Marlins (63-59) won the game, 6-5.
It was a back-and-forth game, one the Pirates were initially playing catch up in after Martin Prado’s third inning RBI single to give Miami a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, David Freese answered. He hit a two-run homer off Marlins starting pitcher Tom Koehler, Freese’s 12th home run of the season. Freese entered this contest 10-for-29 in his last nine games and 5-for-11 in an earlier series against the Marlins.
JT Realmuto was 3-for-3 at the plate for the Marlins, and his sixth-inning home run off Pittsburgh starting pitcher Gerrit Cole tied the game at two.
Then, in the top of the seventh, Yelich gave the Marlins back the lead when he hit a solo shot to left field on the first pitch with two-outs. Cole then gave up a single to Marcel Ozuna, and Cole was pulled in favor of Jared Hughes. Cole pitched 6.2 innings, giving up three runs on 12 hits, striking out five and walking three. Cole had a tough time keeping the Marlins off base. This was the second consecutive start where Cole allowed 12 hits — and this despite getting 10 ground ball outs.
The Pirates made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh inning — Miami used three pitchers in just that half inning. After a Jung Ho Kang single and a Francisco Cervelli walk, Jordy Mercer grounded into a fielder’s choice, allowing Kang to score. With Kyle Barraclough in for the Marlins, Josh Harrison hit a sacrifice fly, and Starling Marte hit an RBI double to put Pittsburgh up, 5-3.
Then came the aforementioned eighth inning where the Marlins tied it up and the ninth inning where Miami took the lead.
There was more drama in the bottom of the ninth inning when Miami manager from Don Mattingly decided to intentionally walk Marte to pitch to Andrew McCutchen. Marte’s walk loaded the bases with one out, but Mattingly’s decision paid off as McCutchen hit a game-ending double play, earning Marlins closer Fernando Rodney his 22nd save of the season.
Up Next
Saturday, Pittsburgh’s Chad Kuhl (3-0, 3.73 ERA) will face the Marlins’ David Phelps (6-6, 2.48 ERA). The Pirates are 6-0 in games this season when Kuhl pitches.
Image credit: Pedro Portal/The Miami Herald
