Pirates 5, Marlins 2
MIAMI -- Left-hander J.A. Happ pitched six scoreless innings, center fielder Andrew McCutchen stroked a two-run double, and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Monday night at Marlins Park.
Pirates left fielder Gregory Polanco had a season-high four hits -- just three less than the entire Marlins team. Polanco had two doubles, and one of his singles drove in a run.
The Pirates (75-48), who have the second-best record in baseball, have won 10 of their past 12 games.
Miami (50-75) lost its fourth straight game.
Happ (2-1) allowed just four hits -- all singles -- and one walk, striking out six. He allowed just one runner to get to second, and none reached third.
Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler (8-12) allowed seven hits, four walks and two runs in six innings. He worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth, giving up no runs in that frame.
Pittsburgh opened the scoring with McCutchen's two-out, two-run, opposite-field double to right.
The hit was payback for McCutchen. In the first inning, with a runner on second, Koehler struck out McCutchen on a 78-mph changeup. In the third, Koehler went off-speed again, but McCutchen was waiting this time.
Pittsburgh extended its lead to 3-0 in the seventh. Left fielder Starling Marte was hit by a pitch from reliever Brian Ellington to lead off the inning. Marte advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a 410-foot fly out to the center-field warning track by McCutchen. Marte then scored on a sacrifice fly by second baseman Neil Walker.
Miami ended a 21-inning scoring drought -- which dated to Saturday night -- by getting one run in the bottom of the seventh.
Center fielder Marcell Ozuna led off with a double off the wall in left and came around to score on a groundout by catcher J.T. Realmuto.
In the eighth, Marlins reliever Erik Cordier was ejected -- just two pitches into his appearance -- after he hit first baseman Sean Rodriguez with a fastball.
Rodriguez, who was hit in the left hand, stayed in the game and came around to score on Polanco's RBI single.
The Pirates made it 5-1 in the ninth when shortstop Jordy Mercer worked a bases-loaded walk in the ninth off ex-Pittsburgh reliever Bryan Morris.
Pirates closer Mark Melancon, who entered the game with no outs in bottom of the ninth and runners on the corners, earned his 40th save of the season. He got two groundouts, including a double-play ball, to end the game.
The Pirates struck for three runs in the bottom of the first inning to open the scoring. Shortstop Jung Ho Kang and second baseman Neil Walker hit back-to-back RBI singles and first baseman Pedro Alvarez followed with a sacrifice fly.
An error by Alvarez allowed the Giants to score a run in the fifth inning when he dropped third baseman Aramis Ramirez's throw on a grounder by right fielder Marlon Byrd. That enabled third baseman Matt Duffy to score from third base.
NOTES: Pirates SS Jordy Mercer (sprained left knee) made his first start since landing on the disabled list on July 19. ... Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett (right elbow), who hasn't pitched since July 30, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday. ... Marlins LF Christian Yelich (bruised right knee) said he has targeted Tuesday for his return from the disabled list. On Monday, Yelich shagged fly balls for the first time since his injury. ... On Thursday, Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez (strained right biceps) will throw his first bullpen session since going on the disabled list. He hopes to return early next month. ... When the Marlins were beaten Sunday by Phillies rookie RHP Aaron Nola, it hit a nerve for fans. Nola, who played for LSU, was picked seventh in the 2014 draft, five spots ahead of Marlins prospect RHP Tyler Kolek, who is 4-10 with a 4.44 ERA at low Class A. ... Miami's Triple-A team, the New Orleans Zephyrs, snapped a franchise-record 15-game losing streak on Monday.