Jon Berti stroked a walk-off RBI single in the 11th inning as the host Miami Marlins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Saturday afternoon.
Marlins ghost runner Joey Wendle went to third on Nick Fortes’ sacrifice bunt before scoring on Berti’s one-out, opposite-field single to right.
Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez, who leads the majors with a .401 batting average, went 1-for-3 with a homer, two RBIs and one walk.
Marlins starter Bryan Hoeing pitched five hitless and scoreless innings, allowing just three walks. Hoeing matched his career high by pitching five frames. However, he did not get a decision as the Marlins blew a ninth-inning lead for the second straight game.
Pittsburgh, which has lost 11 of its past 12 games, got a solid start from Osvaldo Bido (no-decision). He gave up nine hits, allowing just two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, three walks and one run for Pittsburgh.
Miami opened the scoring in the fifth. Berti hit a leadoff single on a fly ball that was nearly snagged by diving left fielder Josh Palacios. The play withstood the Pirates’ challenge as Palacios appeared to have the ball before it rolled to the grass.
Two pitches later, Arraez connected on a fastball up and in, smacking the ball 370 feet to right. It was his third homer of the season.
With Marlins reliever Steven Okert replacing Hoeing, Pittsburgh finally got its first hit of the game as McCutchen drilled a one-out, ground-rule double in the sixth.
Pittsburgh got on the board in the eighth as McCutchen doubled and scored on Carlos Santana’s two-out, opposite-field single.
Miami led 2-1 with two outs and none on in the ninth when Pirates rookie Nick Gonzales drew a walk. He scored on Jason Delay’s double to the left-field corner off of reliever Tanner Scott.
Both teams scored in the 10th — the Pirates on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ two-out RBI single and Miami on Yuli Gurriel’s sacrifice fly.
–Field Level Media
