Pirates

Pirates Preview: Can Bailey Falter, Bucs Make it Back-to-Back Wins?

Published

3 weeks ago

March 29, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bailey Falter delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The Pittsburgh Pirates earned their first victory of the season by taking down the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Friday night at loanDepot Park.

Mitch Keller had a strong start, Oneil Cruz hit a laser of a two-run home run and David Bednar survived a ninth-inning scare to preserve the win and collect his first save of the season.

The Pirates will look to make it back-to-back wins and improve to 2-1 on the young season on Saturday afternoon in Miami.

Saturday’s game will begin at 4:10 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh.

Weather

loanDepot Park has a retractable roof, so weather will not be a factor this series.

LHP Bailey Falter Will Start for the Pirates

Falter begins his second full season with the Pirates after he was acquired at the trade deadline from the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023.

In a career-high 28 starts last season, Falter went 8-9 with a 4.43 ERA, 138 hits allowed, 45 walks and 97 strikeouts in 142.1 innings pitched.

It was somewhat of a rocky spring for the left-hander, but he probably pitched better than his 5.25 ERA would suggest. In 12 innings across four starts, Falter allowed 12 hits, walked four and struck out a dozen.

Falter has made eight appearances/five starts against Miami in his career and is a perfect 3-0 with a 4.30 ERA. He does, however, have a 6.61 ERA (12er/16.1ip) at loanDepot Park.

RHP RHP Valente Bellozo Will Start for the Marlins

Bellozo went 3-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 13 starts during his rookie season with the Marlins in 2024.

Despite the strong surface numbers, the right-hander was prone to the long ball, yielding 15 home runs across 68.2 innings and only recorded 44 strikeouts.

It was a rough spring for the right-hander, who totaled five appearances. In 13.1 innings, he allowed 14 runs on 19 hits (five home runs), walked five and struck out 13.

The Pirates saw Bellozo at PNC Park last September. In 5.1 innings, he allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits (two HRs) with a walk and four strikeouts.

Marlins Hitters vs. Falter

Nick Fortes: 0 for 3
Jonah Bride: 1 for 2, one walk

Pirates Hitters vs. Bellozo

Oneil Cruz: 1 for 3, one home run, one RBI, one strikeout
Andrew McCutchen: 1 for 3, one double
Bryan Reynolds: 1 for 3, two RBIs

Tidbits

In getting the win vs. the Marlins on Friday night, Mitch Keller snapped a personal five-game losing streak, tied for the longest stretch of his career. His last win came on Aug. 20, 2024 against the Texas Rangers.
The Pirates have stolen eight bases through their first two games to open the season, the most they’ve had in the modern era.
Andrew McCutchen needs one more extra-base hit for 800 in his career. His 799 extra-base hits are the third most among active players. He’s also one run shy of tying Arky Vaughan (936) for the 10th most runs scored in franchise history.