Anthony Bender Breaks as Pirates Sinks Marlins to Even Series

Live by the bullpen, die by the bullpen. 

The Miami Marlins did both on Saturday, as their full bullpen strategy worked right up until it didn’t. 

Anthony Bender loaded the bases in the eighth inning after giving up back-to-back two-out singles and a walk. He shortly hit the next batter on a sinker that scored the go-ahead run and led to a 3-2 loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The loss snapped the Marlins' (35-36) six-game winning streak.

Bender was previously coming off a five-game scoreless streak. He was one of Miami’s better arms recently, with a 1.65 ERA and 20 strikeouts over 16.1 innings pitched in his last 15 games. 

The Pirates led off the first inning by putting two runners on base with a hit by pitch and a walk. Ryan O’Hearn drove in a run on a single to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. 

It was the only blemish on Lake Bachar’s outing. The Marlins’ opener finished with one run allowed on one hit with four strikeouts in four innings. 

The Fightin’ Fish struck back and tied the game 1-1 at the top of the third inning. Jakob Marsee led off the rally with a double and later scored on a single by Liam Hicks. 

It didn’t take long for the Pirates to retake their lead. John King took the mound for the second straight game and gave up a single to Spencer Horwitz and an RBI double by Bryan Reynolds to put Pittsburgh up 2-1. 

Calvin Faucher took over and finished the third inning for the Marlins and got two more outs in the fourth before handing the ball to Cade Gibson, who, in turn, went 1.1 scoreless innings. 

Faucher has not given up a run since June 2. After struggling through the early part of the season, he has given up only five earned runs with 19 strikeouts in 16.2 innings pitched over his last 15 games. 

The Marlins tied the game again in the sixth inning on a single by Heriberto Hernandez. It was the last run the Marlins would score in the game.

The bullpen held on until the eighth inning. Michael Peterson threw two perfect innings before handing the ball to Bender, who bended until he broke. 

Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez went 2-for-3 with a walk to lead the Marlins at the plate and improve his MLB-leading batting average to .345 on the season. 

Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler gave up two runs on three hits with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings. 

The Marlins will send Max Meyer (6-0, 2.85 ERA) to close out the series on Sunday. The Pirates will counter with the reigning Cy Young winner, Paul Skenes (6-5, 2.84 ERA). 

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