The Miami Marlins continued their strong summer surge with a statement win on Sunday, as Miami Marlins rode a sharp pitching performance from Max Meyer to a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, outdueling ace Paul Skenes in a high-level pitching matchup that lived up to its billing.
Meyer improved to 7-0 on the season after six gritty innings in which he allowed just one run on six hits. While he did issue three walks and hit a batter, he consistently worked out of danger, stranding nine Pittsburgh baserunners and striking out nine to keep the Pirates from ever fully breaking through. His command wasn’t flawless, but his poise in key moments defined the outing, particularly when traffic on the bases threatened to flip momentum.
Skenes, meanwhile, delivered another dominant statistical performance that didn’t fully reflect the final score. The Pirates right-hander struck out 10 over six innings and generated a career-high 23 swings and misses, including back-to-back strikeout innings in the fourth and sixth. But Miami made its early chances count in a decisive second inning, jumping on him for two long home runs that proved to be the difference.
The breakthrough came when Heriberto Hernández launched a 403-foot blast into the left-field seats on a Skenes fastball, opening the scoring. Moments later, Joe Mack followed with a 424-foot shot to center field off a changeup, quickly turning a tense matchup into a 2-0 Marlins lead.
The Pirates responded in the fourth, stringing together three straight singles to start the inning, capped by Jake Mangum driving in Nick Gonzales to cut the deficit. But Meyer responded like an ace, striking out Jared Triolo and Spencer Horwitz to escape the inning and preserve Miami’s edge.
The fifth inning brought more danger for Miami. After Meyer hit Tyler Callihan with a pitch to load the bases with two outs, Mangum nearly delivered again with a drive into right-center. But Jakob Marsee came up with a highlight-reel diving catch, robbing extra bases and likely saving the lead.
Pittsburgh’s frustration mounted in the seventh, when the Pirates put two runners in scoring position with two outs, only for reliever Calvin Faucher to shut the door with a clutch strikeout of Callihan. Overall, the Pirates left 11 runners on base, a glaring difference in a game where execution with runners aboard decided the outcome.
Miami extended its cushion in the eighth inning. Kyle Stowers and Xavier Edwards each delivered RBI singles off Brandan Bidois, pushing the lead to 4-1 and giving the bullpen breathing room.
Closer Pete Fairbanks later recorded his ninth save, striking out two in the ninth before allowing a two-out solo homer to Bryan Reynolds, which accounted for the final 4-2 score.
The Marlins have now won seven of their last eight games and 10 of 12 in June, taking two of three from Pittsburgh in the series and continuing one of their hottest stretches of the season.
Miami sends Ryan Gusto to the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies and ace Zack Wheeler, while Pittsburgh turns to Jared Jones to open a series against the Athletics and J.T. Ginn, looking to rebound after a frustrating afternoon of missed opportunities.
