The Pirates got off to a hot start to a 3 game set in Miami with the lowly Marlins with a 5-2 win at Marlins Park on Monday night, making it their 10th win in the past 11 games.
The Bucs got the scoring started in the top of the 3rd when Andrew McCutchen drove home Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte with a double, giving the Bucs a 2-0 lead and also winning my award for play of the game, because it made the biggest impact of the evening. That's all the scoring the game would have until the top of the 7th, when Neil Walker drove home Marte with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-0. The Marlins got one back in the bottom half of the 7th when Marcel Ozuna scored on a groundout by J.T. Realmuto, but this run was negated in the top of the 8th when Gregory Polanco brought home Sean Rodriguez with a single to make it 4-1. Jordy Mercer added one more insurance run in the top of the 9th by drawing a bases loaded walk.
The Marlins got a meaningless run in the bottom of the 9th when Realmuto brought home Ozuna on a fielders choice, but that was all the would get. Mark Melancon picked up his 40th save of the season and the Bucs closed out a 5-2 victory, improving their record against Miami to 4-0. J.A. Happ pitched and excellent ball game, making it his 3rd straight good outing. Happ went 6 innings, allowing 0 runs on 4 hits, walking just 1 and striking out 6, and he is my game MVP. Happ has simply been a difference maker since being acquired from the Mariners on July 31st, and he improved to 2-0 since joining the club. Tim Kohler picked up the loss for Miami, falling to 8-12.
The Bucs are now 75-48, 3.5 games back of the Cards for 1st in the NL Central and 3 games ahead of the Cubs for the 1st wildcard spot. Charlie Morton will take the hill for Pitsburgh on Tuesday night, and he will go against Brad Hand for the Marlins. 1st pitch is at 7:10.
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