Spencer Horwitz gets hit by pitch for winning run as Pirates edge Marlins

Matt Press, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jun 13, 2026

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — There was surely a less painful way for the Pittsburgh Pirates to plate the go-ahead run, but they got it nonetheless.

With two outs and the bases loaded in a tie game in the bottom of the eighth, Spencer Horwitz took a 97 mph sinker off his right leg as the Pirates beat the Miami Marlins, 3-2, to even the series on Saturday afternoon at PNC Park.

Bubba Chandler (4.76 ERA) went 5 2/3 innings while giving up three hits, two runs and striking out six. Yohan Ramirez earned the win for the Pirates, and Anthony Bender was charged with the loss for the Marlins.

With the Pirates leading 2-1, Chandler was pulled in the top of the sixth with two outs and two runners on. Fans showered Chandler with an ovation, but that turned into a chorus of groans after Mason Montgomery surrendered a game-tying RBI single to Marlins’ outfielder Heriberto Hernandez.

It seemed an all too familiar story was setting in after that run, but Montgomery, Ramirez and Gregory Soto combined for a scoreless final three frames.

The first two Pirates reached to lead off the first inning, and Ryan O’Hearn opened the scoring with an RBI single. The Marlins tied the game in the top of the third when Liam Hicks slapped a 101 mph Chandler fastball for an opposite field RBI single.

The Pirates jumped back in front in the bottom of the frame. Horwitz led off the inning with a single, and Bryan Reynolds ripped a double 110.1 mph off the bat to center field to score Horwitz from first.

The Marlins tied the game off Montgomery in the sixth, but Horwitz’s right leg proved the difference.

It was over when …

Soto got Hicks to dribble a short groundout for the final out in the ninth.

On the mound

Until issuing a walk and plunking the Marlins’ Kyle Stowers in the sixth, Chandler was sharp and efficient. His 5 2/3 innings were the most he’s thrown since April 17, and the two runs he surrendered were tied for his fewest since May 10.

Interestingly, Chandler threw 25 sliders that made up 30% of his pitches — his typical slider usage this season is 14%. His velocity on the offering was up to 90.5 mph and he induced eight whiffs and three strikeouts from it.

Montgomery settled down after the game-tying RBI and carried the Pirates into the eighth. Ramirez danced out of a tight jam with two runners on and no outs, and Soto earned his 10th save after closing the door in the ninth.

At the plate

The Pirates combined for eight hits, and seven of them were singles. O’Hearn, Tyler Callihan and Jake Mangum went 2 for 4, but the Pirates struck out 11 times and batted 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position.

Bucs bites

— The Pirates made a flurry of roster moves prior to Saturday’s game, placing reliever Wilber Dotel on the 15-day injured list with a right lat muscle strain. The 23-year-old righty has given up nine hits and 10 runs across his last two outings, and the Pirates recalled Brandan Bidois from Triple-A Indianapolis as the corresponding move.

Also included in the bullpen shuffle was optioning Antwone Kelly — who made his MLB debut Friday night against the Marlins — to Indianapolis and recalling Isaac Mattson, who carried a 4.12 ERA in 21 appearances with the Pirates from March 26 to May 17 before being optioned to Triple-A.

Catchers Rafael Flores Jr. and Shawn Ross were also returned to Indianapolis as the Pirates reinstated Henry Davis from the paternity list.

— With Reynolds’ third-inning double, the Pirates now have an extra-base hit in 44 straight games. That’s the longest active streak in MLB and tied with the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles for the longest streak by any team this season.

Up next

The Pirates return to PNC Park for the series rubber match at 12:15 p.m. ET Sunday with Paul Skenes (6-5, 2.84) on the mound. Righty Max Meyer (6-0, 2.85) will get the ball for the Marlins.

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