Pirates 5, Marlins 4, 10
PITTSBURGH -- Russell Martin continued to be the king of walk-offs Thursday.
The Pirates catcher singled in the winning run as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the 10th inning as Pittsburgh rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Miami Marlins 5-4 at PNC Park.
It was Martin's fourth walk-off of the season and the Pirates ninth as they improved their record to 70-44, the best in the majors.
Josh Harrison led off the 10th with a single off Steve Ames (0-1) and was bunted to second by Clint Barmes. One out later, Martin singled down the left-field line to complete a sweep of the three-game series and give the Pirates a five-game winning streak.
Neil Walker had three hits and two RBI for Pittsburgh and Starling Marte also had two hits.
Marlins rookie left fielder Christian Yelich had three hits, including his first major-league home run. Placido Polanco and Jeff Mathis added two hits each.
Both rookie starting pitchers lasted five innings. The Marlins' Jose Fernandez gave up two runs and five hits while walking four and striking out five while Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole allowed four runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Mark Melancon (3-1) pitched one scoreless inning for the victory.
The Pirates tied the game at 4-4 on sacrifice flies by Walker and pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez in the seventh inning. They had drawn within 4-2 in the fifth on consecutive RBI singles by Walker and Pedro Alvarez.
The Marlins, who lost their fifth straight game, loaded the bases in the eighth but Justin Wilson got Mathis to hit an inning-ending foul out to keep the game tied.
Miami built a 4-0 lead by scoring twice in the first and fifth innings.
Giancarlo Stanton drove in the game's first run with a double and scored on Polanco's single then Yelich hit his home run in the fifth. Yelich blasted a two-run home run into the left-field stands in the fifth.
NOTES: Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen was scratched because of tight shoulder discomfort but hit an RBI single as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning. Marte, normally the left fielder, started in center field, OF Alex Presley started in left instead of right and INF/OF Josh Harrison made his second straight start in right. ... Miami 2B Donovan Solano was not in the lineup for the first time since July 23, the day after INF Derek Dietrich was optioned to Class AA Jacksonville. INF Ed Lucas shifted to second base from third base and INF Placido Polanco started at third. ... Marlins rookie CF Jake Marisnick, who has one extra-base hit in his first 52 career at-bats, got the day and OF Justin Ruggiano started in center. ... Both teams open three-game road series on Friday night with Miami visiting Atlanta and Pittsburgh playing at Colorado. RHP Justin Turner (3-3, 2.68 ERA) will start for the Marlins against RHP Brandon Beachy (0-0, 9.00). Pittsburgh LHP Francisco Liriano (12-4, 2.04) will face LHP Jorge De La Rosa (10-6, 3.31).
