MIAMI — The past two times Bryse Wilson pitched against the Marlins, he received a total of 40 runs of support. It was a statistical anomaly — and a funny one — for the former member of the Atlanta Braves.
For parts of Saturday’s game, it seemed like the Marlins were trying to help Wilson feel comfortable with his new team because they practically gift-wrapped this one for the Pirates.
The Pirates’ 6-3 victory at loanDepot Park — which secured another series victory— probably should’ve been evident from the start, when Ke’Bryan Hayes led off with a double and scored thanks to a passed ball and wild pitch on successive offerings.
Pittsburgh later took advantage of more Miami walks, a collision in right field, a dropped bunt and some timely hitting from a few of their own guys. The Pirates (56-92) have now won six of eight, eight of 11 and 14 of their past 27. No matter what happens Sunday — yes, they’re 0 for 14 when trying to sweep — they’ve now won four consecutive series and are 6-1-2 in their last nine.
Here in Miami, the Pirates have won six of their past seven games, are 16-8 since 2017 and secured their fourth consecutive series victory in this ballpark.
Cole Tucker led the way with three hits and an RBI. Hayes contributed two doubles and scored twice. Yoshi Tsutsugo had two hits, while Hoy Park and Kevin Newman both drove in two runs.
More than anything, the game was a lesson in how hard it is to overcome sloppy baseball, something the Pirates have experienced plenty on their own this season.
Pittsburgh’s most unlikely hit of the game might’ve come from Park, giving the Pirates a 5-0 lead in the fifth. During another busy inning that featured a leadoff single, a walk and Miami third baseman Eddy Alvarez dropping a bunt attempt from Michael Perez, Park went the opposite way with a 1-0 slider into deep right-center field for a two-run triple.
After a relatively strong start to his Pirates career, Park had been 5 for 56 (.089) in his last 22 big league games prior to Saturday.
The only blemish against Wilson came in the bottom half of the fifth inning, when catcher Nick Fortes — making his MLB debut — drilled a first-pitch fastball for a two-run shot off the ivy wall in left.
Aside from the home run, Wilson pitched very well and enjoyed a solid rebound from his last start, when he gave up five earned runs (on three homers) in 4 1/3 innings this past Sunday at PNC Park against the Washington Nationals.
Pulled after just 68 pitches Saturday with the Marlins batting for a third time, Wilson gave up those two earned runs on four hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Wilson went with plenty of hard stuff against the Marlins, throwing 66% four-seamers or sinkers, and it worked.
Enyel De Los Santos, claimed off waivers Monday from the Phillies, made his Pirates debut and worked a 1-2-3 sixth, picking up a strikeout. Sam Howard had a 1-2-3 seventh and struck out two before Kyle Keller and Chasen Shreve finished the game. The Marlins scored their third run when Hayes tripped on the mound and couldn’t catch a pop fly off the bat of left fielder Lewis Brinson with two outs in the ninth.
Holding a 5-2 lead and looking to gain some breathing room in the seventh, the Pirates took advantage of two more Marlins walks — they had seven for the game — while Tucker continued to look locked in at the plate, singling to right field to score Tsutsugo from third.
It marked the second three-hit game of Tucker’s career, the first coming Aug. 21, 2020, against the Brewers.
The Pirates built a 3-0 lead with two runs in the fourth courtesy of another Marlins miscue, this time on a bloop fly ball from Newman in shallow right. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. and right fielder Jesus Sanchez collided. The ball popped loose. Amazingly, Newman was credited with a hit.
The inning started with a triple into right from Tucker, who started to show signs of this turnaround with a few strong at-bats on Friday.
Also notable was a second hard-hit double from Hayes, who came into this one hitting .298 with four RBIs and seven runs scored in the past 11 games out of the leadoff spot, but wasn’t driving the ball much. Hayes did that Saturday, hitting two doubles that averaged 103.4 mph and traveled a combined 796 feet.
Miami mixed its mistakes with a few sparkling plays. Center fielder Bryan De La Cruz robbed Newman with a sliding grab in the third. Chisholm took a hit away from Park with his leaping catch in the fourth. And shortstop Miguel Rojas made a fabulous play in the hole to again nail Newman in the sixth.
Not to be outdone, Bryan Reynolds made his own highlight-reel grab in the fifth, laying out to snare a sinker liner off the bat of Alvarez.
