PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jacob Stallings hit a game-ending single in the 12th inning that lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates over Miami 8-7 on Saturday and extended the Marlins’ longest losing streak in six years to eight games.
Automatic runner Adam Frazier advanced to third on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ flyout leading off the 12th against Adam Cimber (1-2). Bryan Reynolds was intentionally walked, and Stallings lined a single to center.
Stallings now has five game-ending hits in his career and two this season. He hit an extra-inning home run against Milwaukee last month and a three-run double in the eighth against Miami on Thursday.
“I think he doesn’t try to do too much,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “Because of it, he had a really good at-bat off a sidearm guy that’s very challenging and has been very good.”
Jesús Aguilar tied the score at 6 with an RBI single off Richard Rodriguez, who blew a save for the second time in nine chances. Miami’s Isan Díaz and Pittsburgh’s Gregory Polanco hit sacrifice flies in the 10th. Clay Holmes (2-0) pitched a perfect 12th.
Pittsburgh trailed 5-2 before a four-run eighth helped by pitcher Anthony Bender’s error.
Bender relieved Bass and forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk to Kevin Newman, then hit Ka’ai Tom with a pitch. With the bases loaded and two outs, pinch-hitter Michel Perez hit a soft ground ball to the right of Aguilar at first. He tossed to the pitcher, but Bender missed the ball. Polanco scored from third and Kevin Newman from second.
“It was just one of those that happens, it seems like things can go fast,” Miami manager Don Mattingly said. “I can’t say it was a tough one. It’s frustrating when you need to make that play.”
Stallings said the grind-it-out inning was emblematic of…
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