MIAMI — Pablo Lopez, even while inefficient at times, did his job Wednesday. The Miami Marlins’ right-handed pitcher had a no-hitter through four innings and ultimately allowed just one hit and one run over five innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Dylan Floro, Anthony Bass and Steven Okert did their job, combining for three shutout innings to keep Pittsburgh’s run total to just one.
Avsail Garcia did his job in the eighth inning with a two-out, bases-loaded single to give the Marlins a lead going into the ninth inning.
And in the 10th, Jesus Aguilar did his job, scoring on a wild pitch with two-outs in the 10th inning for a walk-off 5-4 win over the Pirates to win their first game of the series after dropping the first two. Miami improves to 42-45 on the season while Pittsburgh drops to 38-51. The series finale is Thursday at 12:10 p.m.
After the Pirates tied the game in the top of the ninth and scored two runs in the top of the 10th, Miami clawed back with three singles, an intentional walk and the wild pitch from Pirates reliever David Bednar for their fourth walk-off victory of the season.
Miguel Rojas began hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the 10th to move Bryan De La Cruz to third base but De La Cruz was tagged out trying to score on a Billy Hamilton bunt attempt. A Jon Berti RBI single down the first-base line cut Miami’s deficit to one and a Jesus Aguilar single tied the game. The Pirates intentionally walked Luke Williams to load the bases and Brian Anderson hit into force out before Bednar’s wild pitch let Aguilar score from third.
Prior to extra innings, it was Garcia’s hit that, at least temporarily, served as a needed breakthrough moment for the Marlins after the offense has been nearly non-existent each of the first two games of the series. The Marlins tallied just 10 total hits on Monday and Tuesday and scored just three runs.
On Wednesday, Pirates starter JT Brubaker threw seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts before the Pittsburgh bullpen handled the final two innings.
But then the Marlins took advantage against Pittsburgh’s bullpen in the eighth.
They had the bases loaded with two outs against Duane Underwood after he hit Joey Wendle with a pitch, walked Jon Berti and hit Jesus Aguilar. Garcia, who hit a double earlier in the game, then lofted a cutter into shallow center field to bring in two runs and give Miami its first lead of the series.
That first lead lasted just three batters into the ninth inning. The Pirates tied the game at 2-2 when Michael Chavis’ double to left field against Tanner Scott scored Vogelbach from second base. Scott walked Vogelbach and Hayes to start the inning. Scott settled in after that, getting Oneil Cruz to pop out, striking out Ben Gamel and getting Jack Suwinski to fly out to right field.
One inning later, the Marlins won via walk-off.
Breaking down Pablo Lopez’s outing
Despite only allowing one run, Lopez’s command was shaky. Of his 83 pitches thrown on Wednesday, just 49 landed for strikes — a 59-percent strike rate that places among the worst in his MLB career. His four walks tied a season high and were one shy of his career high.
Despite that, Lopez had a no-hitter intact through four innings before giving up his only hit and only run in the fifth inning. Lopez issued a leadoff walk to Cruz, who promptly stole second base. Gamel then hit an RBI single through the right side that scored Cruz to put the Pirates on the board.
Latest on Garrett Cooper
Marlins first baseman/designated hitter Garrett Cooper was held out of the lineup Wednesday after fouling a pitch off his left knee in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Pirates.
Cooper was diagnosed with a contusion on the inside of the knee, but X-rays taken after he was removed from the game were negative.
“The fact that the X-rays are negative is a positive,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said pregame, “but he’s pretty sore. He was having trouble moving. He was still in the training room when I came out. We’ll try to get him moving around.”
Rehab assignment updates
— Outfielder Jorge Soler (bilateral pelvis inflammation) hit a home run in the first inning on Wednesday while playing with the Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Wednesday was Soler’s second rehab assignment game since going on the IL July 1. He went 1 for 4 on Tuesday as Pensacola’s designated hitter.
— Right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet (elbow) threw three shutout innings with four strikeouts and just two hits allowed for the Triple A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Tuesday. Poteet has yet to allow a run over 6 1/3 innings pitched spanning three rehab assignment games, one with the Single A Jupiter Hammerheads and two with Jacksonville.
