(Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)
PNC Park — Russell Martin hit a tenth inning, two out single down the third baseline and into left field for the Pirates ninth walk-off victory of the season, a 5 – 4 win over the Miami Marlins to complete a four run comeback and a three game sweep of the fish.
Starter, Gerrit Cole didn’t have a good start to the game as he allowed two quick runs by the Marlins in the first. Christian Yelich walked to lead-off the game and scored two batters later on a Giancarlo Stanton RBI double. Stanton Would then score on a Placido Polanco RBI single to make it 2-0 after a half inning.
Cole would then settle down until the fifth when he got roughed up for two more. Jeff Mathis led-off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a Jose Fernandez sac bunt. Yelich would then come up and take a Cole 3 – 2 fastball into the left field bleachers for a 4 – 0 lead and the end of Cole’s day. “I missed a few spots in the first inning and quite a few spots in the game, but I got back to being efficient after the first,” said Cole. “You just try to stay aggressive and pound down. There’s not really any mechanical things you can fix out there unless you really feel something that’s a red flag, but for the most part, you just gotta stay aggressive and attack guys because it’s the best thing you can do.”
The Pirates wouldn’t let Cole acquire his sixth loss of the season, though, as they would mount their 28th comeback of the season. Starling Marte and Alex Presley would reach with one out in the fifth against Fernandez, who had been dominant up to that point. Neil Walker would then knock in the first run with a single and Pedro Alvarez, the second ,with another single. It would be all for Fernandez who pitched well, but left due to pitch-count.
The Buccos would then tie it up in the seventh when the Marlins sent Chad Qualls (that Chad Qualls) to the mound. Qualls didn’t record an out while loading the bases on Tuesday and he repeated the feat Thursday, thanks to a walk and two singles. Mike Dunn would come in to try to stop the bleeding for the second time in three days, but it was not to be as Walker and pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez hit sac fly’s to tie the game at 4. Walker would end the day 3-for-3 with 2 RBI and a walk.
The Marlins would have a chance to take back the lead in the eighth with two out. Reliever, Justin Wilson allowed a single sandwiched between two walks to load the bases, but got Jeff Mathis to fly out in foul ground to end the threat.
The game would head to extras where Jared Hughes worked a perfect top of the tenth and won it in the bottom. Josh Harrison would start the inning off with a single and advance to second on a sac bunt by Clint Barmes. Jose Tabata would ground out to third before the Marlins intentionally walked Starling Marte to force Clint Hurdle to use his final bench player, Russell Martin.
The trick would not work as Martin hit a 3 – 2 slider off of Steve Ames down the line and into left field for his fourth walk-off hit of the year and the Pirates ninth of the season. It’s something that Russell Martin enjoys to thrive in. “Those are the situations where, you know, that’s why you play the game, those big time situations late in the game , tie score, guy in scoring position. I love those moments and luckily I came through .”
It was another gutsy performance in the eyes of Clint Hurdle. “Were long on guts. We’re going to play to the end and we’re going to keep grinding out at-bats in the best way we can.”
Final Score: Pirates 5, Marlins 4
Starters Lines:
Cole (ND): 5 IN, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K’s, 1 HR. 73 Pitches (49 Strikes)
Fernandez (ND): 5 IN, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K’s, 1 WP. 101 Pitches (61 Strikes)
The Pirates will now take to the road for three in Colorado and three in St. Louis for the second installment of the “Biggest Series of the Season”.
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