Pirates rally past Marlins in ninth to spoil Luzardo’s gem. Takeaways from the loss
Left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo tied a career-high with seven shutout innings, but the Miami Marlins blew the lead in the ninth inning in a 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday at loanDepot park.
Miami falls to 43-34 on the season overall. Pittsburgh snapped its 10-game losing streak and is now 35-40.
The Marlins led the Pirates 1-0 going into the ninth inning and sent A.J. Puk to the mound to close out the game. The Pirates responded with three hits and two runs against Miami’s closer to take their first and only lead of the game.
Josh Palacios led off the inning with a pinch-hit single and moved to second on a one-out single from Andrew McCutchen. Palacios and McCutchen then moved up 90 feet on a double steal before Palacios scored on a Connor Joe groundout to shortstop Joey Wendle, who considered throwing home to preserve the lead but ultimately threw to first base, to tie the game at 1-1.
McCutchen then stole third base and scored the go-ahead run on a Carlos Santana single to center field.
The Pirates added another run on a Tucupita Marcano single against Dylan Floro.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
Jesus Luzardo pitched a gem
Luzardo held the Pirates to just two hits and one walk while striking out nine batters.
It matched the longest outing of his MLB career. He had also gone seven innings two other times this season — April 5 against the Minnesota Twins and June 6 against the Kansas City Royals — and six other times total overall. But Friday was only the second time of those seven seven-inning outings in which Luzardo had held the opponents scoreless. The other was Aug. 7, 2022, at the Chicago Cubs.
The lone hits he allowed were a two-out single in the first to Connor Joe, who was stranded after Carlos Santana popped out, and a leadoff single in the fifth to Henry Davis that was erased by a double play. His night ended when he walked Davis to lead off the eighth inning.
Tanner Scott entered in relief of Luzardo in the eight and stranded Davis by getting a pair of groundouts and striking out Ji Hwan Bae.
But then the Pirates struck in the ninth to win their first game since June 11.
Another three-hit game for Luis Arraez
Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez posted his MLB-leading 11th three-hit game of the season on Friday, hitting singles in the first, fifth and seventh innings to bring his batting average up to .402.
His first hit, a line-drive single to center, ultimately led to the Marlins’ lone run of the game. Arraez moved to second on a Jorge Soler single to center and scored on a Jesus Sanchez one-out single to right field.
Through 70 games played, Arraez now has as many three-hit games this season as he does starts without hits.
Double plays are still an issue
The Marlins had a chance to blow the game open early in the first after scoring the first run but failed to capitalize.
Miami loaded the bases after Sanchez’s single when Garrett Cooper drew a walk, but Jon Berti hit into an inning-ending double play on a soft groundball to Pirates shortstop Rodolfo Castro.
Miami hit into three double plays total on the night — the others came in the fourth and eighth innings — and have hit into an MLB-leading 85 double plays overall this season. The Atlanta Braves have the second-most at 67.
