Pirates Bullpen Holds On for First Win of Season
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The Pittsburgh Pirates won their first game of the season on Friday night, edging the Miami Marlins by a score of 4-3. While the ninth inning provided some drama, the bullpen was able to hold on for the Pirates.
Mitch Keller picked up the win at Loan Depot Park in a quality start. It was a promising first start of the season for the veteran pitcher, as the Pirates rebounded from a heartbreaking loss on Opening Day.
The Pirates went away quietly in the top of the first, with Marlins starting pitcher Connor Gillispie getting three consecutive outs to begin his first Major League start.
Marlins infielder Xavier Edwards attacked Keller's first pitch of the game for a single to center field. Kyle Stowers then hit a dribbler to Isiah Kiner-Falefa for a tailor made double play. Bryan Reynolds made a diving catch in right field to rob Jonah Bride of a base hit -- and end the first inning.
The first real action on the basepaths occurred in the bottom half of the second inning. After a one out walk by Otto Lopez, Griffin Conine slapped a fastball into center field to put runners at first and third. Liam Hicks, in his first Major League at-bat, then drilled a ball right back to Keller, who made an athletic and critical second out. Keller got out of the early jam with a called strike three on the inside corner against Derek Hill for his first strikeout of the game.
Kiner-Falefa provided the first hit of the night for the Pirates in the third inning with a hard single to left field.
A leadoff walk to Oneil Cruz got things started for the Pirates in the fourth. He then stole second base and advanced to third on a wild throw by the Marlins catcher. Joey Bart was intentionally walked to set up the potential double play ball.
Andrew McCutchen then drove in Cruz with a double in the left centerfield gap. The Marlins' Lopez was hit in the face by the relay throw but would stay in the game. Adam Frazier, starting for the Pirates for the first time since 2021, brought in Bart with a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0.
The Pirates bats kept rolling in the fifth inning. Pham reached on an error by Graham Pauley, then proceeded to steal second base. Cruz got a hold of a Gillispie slider, hooking it down the right field line for his first home run of the season, giving the Pirates a 4-0 lead. He was 2-4 on the night, with 2 RBI and two runs scored.
Oneil Cruz with a 115 MPH rocket off the bat for his first home run of the season 🚀 pic.twitter.com/abXWvfIMfY
— MLB (@MLB) March 29, 2025
Pittsburgh was seemingly out of the fifth inning. Ke'Bryan Hayes made a phenomenal play on a groundball to third base, and Derek Hill was called out on a bang-bang play at first base. The Marlins successfully challenged the call, putting Hill on first base. It would ultimately be the start of the Marlins scoring. Pauley ripped a double down the right field line, bringing Hill all the way around to score. The Marlins were now on the scoreboard, making the game 4-1 after five innings.
Tyler Phillips replaced Gillispie for the Marlins at the onset of the sixth inning. Frazier tallied his first hit of the season on a sharp line drive to right field, but was thrown out by Conine trying to stretch it to a double.
Keller's night was over after pitching six innings and logging a quality start. He threw 86 pitches, 55 of them for strikes. Keller looked extremely comfortable with all of his pitches, and probably would have gone out for the seventh inning if the game had taken place later in the season. It was a promising start to the season for a pitcher who is looking to repeat, or better, his 200 strikeout season of 2023.
My favorite aspect of Mitch Keller's development is his ability to stay composed and get himself out of a jam. What a pitch.
— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) March 28, 2025
94.2 MPH sinker, 2653 RPM, 8 IVB, 23 inVB, 20 inHB pic.twitter.com/DmjVSK8TpL
The bullpen held its own after being much maligned for blowing a 4-1 lead on Opening Day. Lefthander Caleb Ferguson pitched a scoreless seventh inning in his second appearance of the season.
Ryan Borucki came in to pitch the eighth. He gave up a leadoff single to Edwards, who was the only Marlin to record multiple hits on the night. Borucki then induced a groundball double play and struck out Bride to end the inning
Closer David Bednar came on in the ninth after giving up a walk-off single on Opening Day. He walked the first batter he saw. Then, Bednar gave up a home run to center field off the bat of Lopez, effectively raising all Pirates fans blood pressure, and making the score 4-3. Two consecutive groundouts would lower it a bit.
Bednar struck out Hill to end the game and put Pirates fans nerves to rest. The closer will surely be hearing plenty of criticism after another poor outing. But for now, Yinzers will enjoy their first victory of the season.
The Pirates will continue their four game series against the Marlins tomorrow night, with first pitch at 4:10 PM EST. Lefthander Bailey Falter (8-9, 4.43 ERA in 2024) will get the start for Pittsburgh, while Valente Bellozo (3-4, 3.67 ERA in 2024) will toe the mound for Miami.
Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.