Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
PIT	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	0
MIA	0	1	4	1	0	2	0	0	—	8	9	1

Carmen Mlodzinski (6-4, 3.61 ERA) got the ball for Pittsburgh knowing he wasn't going deep — he hasn't all year — while Janson Junk (5-7, 4.46 ERA) tried to bounce back for Miami after getting shelled by Atlanta in his last turn. Neither name screams stopper, which made this one of those games where the bullpens were always going to decide it.

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Total

Pirates(58-63)

LLWLL

2

-1.5+178+111o8.5+115

Marlins(61-59)

WWWLL

8

+1.5-182-111u8.5-115

Best BetMarlins -120

Postgame

The Marlins moneyline cashed comfortably, and it wasn't particularly close — Miami led by four runs after two innings and never looked back. The bull case about their momentum showed up exactly as advertised; the bear case about Pittsburgh's offense waking up never materialized, as the Pirates managed just two runs on 6 hits all night.

Pregame

Miami's won 3 straight and already has a win over this exact Pittsburgh team, which is enough to lean home even with Junk's shaky last outing. The Pirates are down their best starter for the season and missing pieces up and down the lineup, which is a lot to overcome on the road. This is a short-priced favorite, but the recent form gap justifies it.

The Pirates walked in banged up. Endy Rodriguez sat out with a hip issue, Oneil Cruz is still rehabbing a hand injury in the minors, and Mitch Keller's been shut down on the 60-day IL — that's a lineup and rotation both missing pieces. Miami's not exactly whole either, with Max Meyer nursing a neck injury and William Kempner needing elbow surgery, but the Marlins have been finding a way to win anyway.

Carmen Mlodzinski

(6-6)·4.03 ERA

Aug 7 vs Mets

L

3.0IP

5ER

1K

1BB

63P

08/12 Lineup

Janson Junk

(6-8)·4.37 ERA

Aug 6 @ Braves

L

3.0IP

2ER

1K

1BB

47P

08/12 Lineup

Pittsburgh came in having dropped 2 straight, including the series opener to this same Miami club, and the vibes were already sour before first pitch. A loss like that doesn't do much for a team clinging to a long-shot Wild Card push.

Pittsburgh Pirates

(58-63)

Aug 11L@ Marlins0-2

Aug 9Lvs Mets1-11

Aug 8Wvs Mets9-0

Aug 7Lvs Mets4-6

Aug 6L@ Brewers2-5

Miami Marlins

(61-59)

Aug 11Wvs Pirates2-0

Aug 9Wvs Angels12-3

Aug 8Wvs Angels7-0

Aug 7Lvs Angels3-4

Aug 6L@ Braves3-11

Miami did what hot teams do. A four-run second inning blew the game open, and by the time the Marlins tacked on two more in the sixth, Pittsburgh's offense had already gone quiet after a couple of early runs. Nine hits, one Miami error aside, and Junk settled in well enough to let the bullpen close it out.

For Pittsburgh, it's the same story that's dogged this team for weeks — thin pitching depth, injuries piling up in the middle of the order, and a bullpen that keeps getting overexposed behind an opener who can't go more than 3 innings. Miami, meanwhile, keeps riding this streak into a series they now control, with a chance to finish the sweep and keep pace in a crowded NL East and Wild Card picture.

Pittsburgh Pirates

(5)

• Day-To-DayEndy Rodriguez (C) — Rodriguez (hip) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins.08/12
• 10-Day-ILRyan O'Hearn (RF) — The Pirates placed O'Hearn on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a left quad strain, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.08/01
• 60-Day-ILKonnor Griffin (SS) — The Pirates announced July 31 that Griffin (finger) has resumed participating in baseball activities, including playing catch and taking right-handed swings against a Trajekt machine, MLB.com reports.08/10
• 60-Day-ILOneil Cruz (CF) — Cruz (hand) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.08/07
• 60-Day-ILMitch Keller (SP) — The Pirates placed Keller on the 60-day injured list Monday due to a right arm teres major muscle injury.08/03

Miami Marlins

(8)

• 10-Day-ILKyle Stowers (1B) — Miami placed Stowers on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain on Tuesday.08/11
• 15-Day-ILAnthony Bender (RP) — The Marlins have tentatively scheduled Bender (shin) to face hitters Friday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.08/12
• 15-Day-ILMax Meyer (SP) — Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Wednesday that Meyer (neck) received a cortisone shot to relieve discomfort in the rib area, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.08/12
• 15-Day-ILWilliam Kempner (RP) — Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Wednesday that Kempner will require surgery for his sprained right elbow, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.08/12
• 60-Day-ILAndrew Nardi (RP) — Nardi (ribs) is scheduled to visit a doctor Tuesday after experiencing elbow discomfort, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.08/07
• 60-Day-ILRobby Snelling (SP) — Snelling (elbow) is expected to begin a throwing program in September, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.08/07
• 60-Day-ILAdam Mazur (SP) — Mazur (elbow) is expected to begin a throwing program sometime in September, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.08/07
• 60-Day-ILRonny Henriquez (RP) — Henriquez (elbow) began playing catch from 60 feet out Friday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.07/18