Spencer Horwitz’s bases-loaded hit by pitch in the eighth inning was the difference as the host Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Saturday afternoon.

The Pirates scratched the winning run across against Anthony Bender (1-1), who got in a jam after getting the first two outs of the frame.

Tyler Callihan and Jake Mangum tagged Bender for singles and then Jared Triolo drew a walk to bring Horwitz to the plate, whom Bender plunked with the first pitch of the at-bat to give Pittsburgh the lead.

Gregory Soto earned the save in the ninth, stranding Javier Sanoja at second base to close out the game. The victory was just the second in the past eight games for the Pirates.

Callihan and Mangum each had two hits for Pittsburgh along with Ryan O’Hearn, whose first-inning RBI single opened the scoring.

Yohan Ramirez (4-2) allowed the first two hitters he faced to reach base in the top of the eighth, but he escaped the jam with no runs allowed and earned the win after the Pittsburgh offense came through in the bottom of the inning.

The loss snapped a season-best string of six straight victories for Miami, whose scoring came in the form of a pair of RBI singles by Liam Hicks and Heriberto Hernandez. Otto Lopez was 2-for-3 with a walk.

After Horwitz and Brandon Lowe reached on a hit by pitch and a walk to lead off the game for Pittsburgh, O’Hearn brought Horwitz home with a one-out RBI single.

The teams traded runs in the third. After Hicks’ RBI knock in the top of the frame briefly tied the game at 1, Bryan Reynolds hit an RBI double to restore the Pirates’ advantage a half-inning later.

All three of Miami’s hits against Pittsburgh starter Bubba Chandler came in that third inning. Chandler allowed two runs and struck out six in his 5 2/3 innings but was left with a no-decision when he got into trouble in the sixth.

After walking Lopez and hitting Xavier Edwards, Chandler was pulled by manager Don Kelly. Reliever Mason Montgomery came in to try and hold the lead, but Hernandez came up with the game-tying hit for the Marlins.

Lake Bachar was Miami’s opener on what was a bullpen day for their pitching staff. Bachar settled down after allowing the early run and recorded four strikeouts in two innings.

–Field Level Media