Pirates Bullpen Blows it in Opening Day Loss
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates held an early lead, but a poor bullpen performance saw them lose 5-4 to the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park on Opening Day
The Pirates lose on opening day for the first time since 2022, a 9-0 defeat on the road to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pittsburgh had reigning National League Rookie of the Year in right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes start vs. the Marlins
He starred early on, with no hits and four strikeouts, but allowed a double on the first pitch in the third inning to center fielder Derek Hill.
Third Baseman Graham Pauley reached first base for the Marlins, after Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa's throw wasn't quick enough.
Skenes got catcher Nick Fortes to ground out into a fielder's choice and just beat out the throw at first base, preventing the double play and moving Hill to third base.
Shortstop Xavier Edwards grounded into a fielder's choice and Hill would score, giving the Marlins a 1-0 lead.
The Pirates struggled from the plate, with no hits through the first 4.2 innings that 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner right-handed pitcher Sandy Alcantara pitched.
Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes broke through in the top of the fifth inning with two outs. Both Kiner-Falefa and left fielder Tommy Pham walked, allowing right fielder Bryan Reynolds a chance with the bases loaded.
Reynolds came through with a single through the middle of the field, bringing home Hayes and Kiner-Falefa, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead. The Marlins would bench Alcantara after that hit.
BRYAN REYNOLDS. NOTHING BUT NET TO GIVE THE PIRATES THE LEAD!!
— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) March 27, 2025
105.7 MPH 2-RBI double, .530 xBA pic.twitter.com/zZrsccIpry
Catcher Joey Bart got on base for the Pirates to lead off the sixth inning, after Marlins right-handed pitcher Lake Bachar hit him.
Second baseman Nick Gonzales then hit a two-run home run over the left field wall, extending the Pirates' lead to 4-1.
Gonzales would leave after his home run trot, after he had left ankle discomfort. Adam Frazier came in for him at second base for Pittsburgh.
Skenes started the sixth inning with a strikeout, but then allowed back-to-back walks to Edwards and left fielder Kyle Stowers.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton benched Skenes after this, with his ace finishing with seven strikeouts over 5.1 innings pitched.
Right-handed pitcher Dennis Santana came in relief of Skenes and walked designated hitter Jonah Bride to load the bases.
Edwards then scored on a passed ball, cutting the lead to 4-2. Santana would strikeout first baseman Matt Mervis for the second out, but allowed a walk to second baseman Otto Lopez, loading the bases again.
Shelton went to left-handed pitcher Ryan Borucki, who would find himself down 3-0 in the count to pinch-hitter Dane Myers. Borucki responded with three straight strikes to strikeout Myers and keep it a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom third.
The Pirates brought in right-handed pitcher Colin Holderman in the bottom of the eighth inning and he allowed a walk to Stowers.
He would force Bride into a groundout and struck out Mervis for two outs, but Stowers made it to second base.
Holderman then allowed a single to Lopez, scoring Stowers, and ending up at second base after the throw home from Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz.
Myers should've struckout afterwards, but the home plate umpire missed it. He then singled as well, scoring Lopez from second base, tying it at 4-4.
The Pirates had an opportunity to retake the lead in the top of the ninth inning, as Tommy Pham doubled and Reynolds walked with one out.
Cruz would fly out and then Bart struckout, sending the game to the bottom of the ninth inning.
Pirates brought in right-handed pitcher David Bednar, who would allow a triple to Fortes, who hit a ball off the wall in center field, that Cruz failed to properly track.
Bednar intentionally walked Edwards and then allowed a single to Stowers in right field, as the Marlins completed the comeback and won 5-4.
The Pirates will face the Marlins again on March 28, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.