PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Interstat) — Max Meyer pitched six innings of one-run ball, striking out nine and allowing six hits, to lead the Miami Marlins past the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 on Sunday afternoon at PNC Park. Miami (36-36) struck first with two runs in the second inning and added two more in the eighth on run-scoring singles by Kyle Stowers and Xavier Edwards. Pittsburgh (36-36) got a sacrifice fly from Jake Mangum in the fourth and a solo home run from Bryan Reynolds in the ninth. Paul Skenes (6-6) struck out 10 over six innings but took the loss, yielding two earned runs on four hits. Pete Fairbanks earned his ninth save despite allowing a run in the ninth. Joe Mack homered for Miami. Attendance was 18,127, and the game lasted 2 hours, 56 minutes. The Marlins have won two of three in the series.

PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The Miami Marlins broke open a tight pitchers’ duel with a two-run eighth inning and held on for a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon at PNC Park, earning a split of the three-game series and leaving both teams at .500. Miami improved to 36-36, matching Pittsburgh’s identical record. The Marlins seized a 2-0 lead in the second inning on back-to-back solo home runs by left fielder Heriberto Hernández and catcher Joe Mack, but Pirates starter Paul Skenes settled in after that, striking out 10 over six innings while allowing only four hits and two earned runs. Pittsburgh trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth when center fielder Jake Mangum lined an RBI single to center, scoring third baseman Nick Gonzales. The game remained 2-1 until the top of the eighth, when the Marlins mounted the decisive rally. After Connor Norby struck out to open the inning, first baseman Liam Hicks singled to right field. Shortstop Otto Lopez followed with a single to left, moving Hicks to second. Left fielder Kyle Stowers then grounded a single through the right side that deflected off second baseman Brandon Lowe, scoring Hicks and advancing Lopez to third. Second baseman Xavier Edwards ripped a line-drive single to center, scoring Lopez and sending Stowers to second. The rally continued when right fielder Esteury Ruiz was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but center fielder Jakob Marsee struck out on a foul tip to end the inning. Still, Miami had extended its lead to 4-1. Pittsburgh answered in the bottom of the ninth against Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks. After Spencer Horwitz and Brandon Lowe both struck out, left fielder Bryan Reynolds crushed a solo home run to center field, his eighth of the season, cutting the lead to 4-2. But Fairbanks got first baseman Ryan O’Hearn to line out sharply to center, securing his ninth save of the season. Marlins starter Max Meyer earned the victory, improving to 7-0. He worked six innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out seven and walking two. Fairbanks closed with a scoreless ninth, allowing only the Reynolds homer. Skenes took the loss, falling to 6-6, despite a strong outing in which he struck out 10 and walked one over six innings. The Pirates bullpen could not hold the deficit; reliever Brandan Bidois allowed two earned runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning in the eighth. Key performances for the Pirates included Mangum, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Reynolds, who finished 2 for 3 with a home run, an RBI and a walk. Skenes also contributed with his bat, but the Pirates offense managed only eight hits and struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position. Miami totaled nine hits, with Hicks and Lopez each collecting two. Hernandez homered for the Marlins, his sixth of the year, and Mack hit his second. Defensive miscues hurt Pittsburgh. In the sixth inning, a throwing error by shortstop Otto Lopez briefly allowed Henry Davis to reach base, but catcher Joe Mack caught Davis stealing second to end the inning. In the eighth, a fielding error by third baseman Javier Sanoja put Mangum on base, but the Pirates grounded into a double play to squander the threat. The game drew an announced crowd of 18,127 on an afternoon that saw temperatures in the low 70s under partly cloudy skies. The contest lasted 2 hours, 56 minutes. Pittsburgh had won the series opener 3-2 on Saturday, while Miami took the Friday game 8-3. The Marlins now travel to Philadelphia for a three-game series beginning Monday, while the Pirates head to Oakland for a three-game set against the Athletics. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Miami Marlins 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 3. Interstat’s ELO system projected Pittsburgh with a 52.40 percent probability to win. The Pirates had been installed as the pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 6 went over the over/under line of 7.5.

PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates conclude their weekend series Sunday evening at PNC Park, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. under clear skies and 82-degree temperatures. Right-hander Max Meyer (6-0, 2.89 ERA) is scheduled to start for Miami, while the Pirates will counter with right-hander Bubba Chandler (2-3, 4.01 ERA). Meyer has been stellar to open the season, having yet to suffer a loss while striking out 63 batters over 62⅓ innings. Chandler is coming off a strong outing Saturday in this same series, when he held the Marlins to two earned runs on three hits over 5⅔ innings in Pittsburgh’s 3-2 victory. The series is tied 1-1 after the Pirates edged Miami on Saturday to snap a two-game losing streak. The Marlins won Friday’s opener 8-3. Pittsburgh enters play at 36-35, one game above .500, while Miami is 35-36. Miami’s Michael Petersen has been a key contributor out of the bullpen. Over his past eight appearances, the right-hander has allowed just one earned run in 9⅔ innings, including a scoreless two-inning stint Saturday in which he struck out three. He has not allowed a hit in four of his last five outings. For Pittsburgh, Chandler will be a player to watch as he looks to build on his recent form. In three of his past five starts, he has allowed two earned runs or fewer. According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projection favors Miami 8-3. Pittsburgh is a -1.5 favorite on the spread, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs. Both teams begin road trips Monday. Miami travels to Philadelphia for a three-game set, while Pittsburgh heads to to face the Athletics.