All-Star reliever David Bednar couldn’t hold a two-run lead in the 10th inning Wednesday night and the Pittsburgh Pirates saw their season-high four-game winning streak come to an end with a 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park.
The Pirates pushed across two runs in the top of the 10th on an RBI groundout by Daniel Vogelbach and a run-scoring single by Ke’Bryan Hayes, but Bednar coughed up the lead in the bottom of the inning.
Bednar yielded a base hit to the first batter he faced, Miguel Rojas, putting runners at first and third. Billy Hamilton then laid down a bunt to third and Hayes was able to tag out the runner at third, Bryan De La Cruz, who broke for the plate, leaving runners at first and second.
Jon Berti followed with a single to right, scoring Rojas and moving Hamilton to third.
Jesus Aguilar then singled to center, scoring Hamilton with the tying run and moving Berti to third.
After Bednar intentionally walked Luke Williams to load the bases, Brian Anderson hit a chopper to short. Oneil Cruz, who was playing in, opted to go home for the force rather than attempting to turn the inning-ending double play, leaving the bases loaded with two outs.
Bednar then uncorked a wild pitch on a breaking ball to Jesus Sanchez, and Delay’s throw to Bednar coving home was equally wild, giving the Marlins the bizarre win.
Whatever works ♀️ ♂️ pic.twitter.com/nU02qnnsm4
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 14, 2022
The Pirates, who blew a 1-0 lead in the eighth and then came back to tie it in the ninth, pushed across two runs in the 10th when, with Jack Suwinski at second to start the inning, Delay reached on an error, Jake Marisnick beat out a bunt and with one out, Vogelbach grounded out to second, allowing Suwinski to score.
Hayes followed with a base hit, scoring Delay, but Marisnick was thrown out at the plate.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to an excellent performance by starter JT Brubaker, but reliever Duane Underwood Jr. could not hold it.
Underwood retired the first two hitters in order but then came unglued, as he hit Joey Wendle with a pitch, walked Berti and hit Aguilar to load the bases.
Avisail Garcia then lined a single to center driving home the tying and go-ahead runs.
!!!!!!!
— Bally Sports Florida: Marlins (@BallyMarlins) July 14, 2022
Garcia 2-out, 2-RBI single scores Hamilton and Berti and the Marlins take a 2-1 lead!!!!!!@Marlins | #MakeItMiami pic.twitter.com/7A7jO0KoPx
The Pirates benefited from some wildness on the part of Marlins reliever Tanner Scott in the ninth, as he walked leadoff hitter Vogelbach and Hayes.
Michael Chavis then doubled to left, scoring Vogelbach with the tying run and leaving runners at second and third with no outs.
MICHAEL CHAVIS TIES IT!!! pic.twitter.com/8mvW49Ue0m
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 14, 2022
But Scott wiggled out of trouble by getting Cruz to pop out, striking out Gamel and retiring Suwinski on a fly out to right field.
Brubaker deserved a better fate, as he held the Marlins scoreless over the first seven innings, giving up just three hits and walking two while striking out nine. He lowered his ERA to 4.02 in the process.
But the Pirates could provide little offensive support for Brubaker, managing just a run in the first eight innings.
The lone run came in the fifth when Cruz walked, stole second and scored on Ben Gamel’s base hit.
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