Pirates 4, Marlins 3
Pinch hitter Josh Harrison led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a solo home run to right-center field as Pittsburgh edged visiting Miami.
Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and Neil Walker added three hits for the Pirates, who remain two games ahead of second-place St. Louis in the National League Central. Bryan Morris (5-4) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the victory after Harrison's second homer of the season.
Donovan Solano recorded three hits and an RBI while Logan Morrison added a pair of singles and knocked in a run for the Marlins, who left 11 on base. Miami reliever Mike Dunn (2-3) took the loss after getting the Marlins out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth.
The first three Miami hitters singled in the second and starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez plated the only run with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. The Marlins started the third inning with four straight hits, capped by RBI singles from Morrison and Solano to extend their advantage to three.
The Pirates tied it 3-3 in the bottom of the third when McCutchen delivered a two-run double and Pedro Alvarez followed with an RBI triple – both with two outs. The Marlins left the bases loaded in the seventh and Dunn struck out Alvarez and got Russell Martin on a double play to work out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the eighth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Alvarez allowed three runs, six hits, did not walk a batter and struck out six in seven innings for the Marlins. Pittsburgh starter Jeff Locke gave up three runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. … Miami RHP Jose Fernandez was named National League Rookie of the Month for July. Fernandez, scheduled to pitch Thursday in the series finale, went 3-1 in five starts with a 2.06 ERA. … The Marlins had not allowed a home run in a franchise-record 12 games before Harrison’s blast.