MIAMI — It took six innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates to record their first hit and the Miami Marlins went seven innings without one until they got one to end the game.
Christian Yelich hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift the Marlins to a 4-3 victory over the Pirates on Thursday night to win the four-game series. Yelich drove a pitch from A.J. Schugel (1-2) into the gap in deep right-centerfield that allowed Martin Prado to score from first without a throw home.
“Just looking for something good to hit and drive,” Yelich said. “I got a good pitch, found a gap, and Martin was able to score.”
Yelich’s hit was the first for the Marlins since the fourth inning.
Marlins starter Wei-Yen Chen didn’t allow a hit until the seventh inning with the Marlins leading 3-0. Jung Ho Kang doubled to lead off the seventh breaking up Chen’s no-hit bid. Chen walked the next batter ending his night.
Both runners scored on a two-out, two-run double by Matt Joyce off Dustin McGowan to cut the Pirates’ deficit to 3-2. John Jasco hit a game-tying single with two outs in the ninth on a 3-2 pitch from Kyle Barracloud to tie the game.
“We’ve always got guts,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “I don’t expect anything different from these guys. And when it gets more challenging, it’s when they continue to show up. We fight, scratch and claw together. That effort has become a part of who we are.”
Nick Wittgren (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings in relief and struck out three to earn his first career victory.
“You have a lot of adrenaline when you go out there,” Wittgren said. “It starts kicking in a little bit and that kind of helps you not think too much out there. Overthinking will always get you in trouble so going out there was great and I just tried to keep my momentum going, stay in a groove, don’t slow anything down or speed it up, and just throw strikes.”
Ichiro Suzuki had two hits, scored a run, stole a base, and had two impressive defensive plays in centre field for the Marlins. He has 2,965 career hits moving into sole possession of 31st on MLB’s all-time hit list.
Pittsburgh had four players leave the game with injuries including Andrew McCutchen. Francisco Cervelli, David Freese and Jordy Mercer left after getting hit by pitches.
“It was like the ER here,” Cervelli said. “The doctors of the other team were very busy today. It was a crazy day, my friend.”
Pittsburgh won the first game of the series 10-0 on Monday before the Marlins won the final three, 3-1, 3-2 and 4-3.
“It’s a nice feeling,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “That’s a good club over there. They thumped us pretty good that first game and then Jose (Fernandez) kind of turned the tide and got it back in our court.”
Chen pitched six innings, allowed one hit and two runs. He walked five and struck out three.
“Wei-Yin was good tonight,” Mattingly said. “He was aggressive. These guys are a good-hitting club. You’ve got to be able to get the ball in there. They like the ball out over the plate. I thought he did a nice job of changing speeds.”
Suzuki helped keep the no-hitter intact with a diving catch in right-centre field in the second taking a hit away from Juan Nicasio and he made a leaping catch against the centre field wall on a fly ball hit by Kang.
“Those plays were great,” Chen said. “If it weren’t for him I would have already gave up a hit in the second inning. He’s such a great player, not only defensively, but he got hits today. I just think he’s a great player both defensively and offensively.”
It was the second consecutive day a Marlins pitched held the Pirates without a hit to start the game. Adam Conley did not allow a hit until there were two outs in the sixth inning.
Miguel Rojas‘ squeeze bunt opened the scoring for Miami.
Giancarlo Stanton‘s RBI double and J.T. Realmuto‘s sacrifice fly pushed the Marlins’ lead to 3-0 in the third.
Nicasio allowed three runs in six innings.
TOP RELIEVERS UNAVAILABLE
Mattingly decided to rest closer A.J. Ramos, setup man David Phelps, and lefty Mike Dunn giving way to McGowan, Barraclough, and Wittgren, who combined for six innings and allowed one run.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: McCutchen (right thumb) lined out in the sixth and then left the game between innings. “It’s something I’ve been dealing with for a while,” McCutchen said. “I couldn’t take any longer after my last at-bat. … It happens to guys and I am one of the guys it happens to.” … Cervelli (right foot) left the game in the bottom of the third after being hit by a pitch thrown by Chen in the second. “Everything is negative, just a bruise,” Cervelli said. … Freese (right hand) was hit by a pitch in the eighth, stayed in to run, but was replaced between innings. … Mercer (left elbow) was hit by a pitch in the ninth and scored the tying run before leaving the game between innings. “We’ll know more about it (Friday),” Mercer said. “We’re going to see our docs and see how it responds in the morning.”
Marlins: 2B Derek Dietrich (left wrist) left Wednesday’s game after being hit with a pitch and did not play Thursday.
UP NEXT
Pirates LHP Francisco Liriano (4-4, 4.63 ERA) will start Friday’s game against RHP Jered Weaver (4-4, 4.50) and the Los Angeles Angels.
Miami will continue their homestand Friday with RHP Tom Koehler (3-5, 4.50) against New York Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard (5-2, 1.84).
