Pirates Walked Off AGAIN, This Time on Wild Pitch: Too Many Miscues, Nyjer Morgan Sighting!

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ nightmare opening series continued. For the third time in four games to begin the year, the Pirates (1-3) suffered a walk-off loss at the hands of the Miami Marlins

Derek Hill reached on an infield single against David Bednar to begin the bottom of the ninth. Hill then stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error from catcher Endy Rodríguez. Bednar (0-2) then delivered a wild pitch, allowing Hill to score easily and give the Marlin a 3-2 win on Sunday afternoon at loanDepot Park.

Rodríguez’s throwing error and a Bednar’s wild pitch came two innings after a costly baserunning mistake by Ji Hwan Bae, who was caught trying to advance to third on a ball in the dirt to erase a potential scoring opportunity.

This miscues in Sunday’s loss are representative of why the Pirates find themselves at 1-3 to begin the year. They need to play much cleaner baseball if they want to have success.

How We Got There

Andrew McCutchen opened the game’s scoring with a solo shot off of starter Max Meyer to lead off the top of the second.

A no-doubter for #22. pic.twitter.com/Eve5ONd01Q

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 30, 2025

The Marlins (3-1) answered in the bottom of the inning on a Nick Fortes RBI double. It was the lone run the Marlins scored against Pirates starter Andrew Heaney, who was making his team debut.

In the top of the fifth, Rodríguez advanced to third after a throw from first baseman Eric Wagaman towards second base hit him in the back and trickled into left field. Isiah Kiner-Falefa brought him home with a high chopper to short that resulted in an infield single.

But the Marlins again had an answer. After striking out the first two batters he saw out of the bullpen, Colin Holderman surrendered a game-tying opposite-field home run to Griffin Conine.

Key Moment

Rodríguez’s throwing error all but ensured the Pirates would suffer the same fate they had in two of the first three games of the series.

Star of the Game

It wasn’t necessarily a well-played game by either team, so the star of the game is former Pirates outfielder Nyjer Morgan. Morgan was in attendance and sat down (or stood up) for an interview with Hannah Mears of SportsNet Pittsburgh. Watch in all its glory.

This interaction between @mearshannah_ and Plush is everything 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/W7YAUUvQHm

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) March 30, 2025

Notable Pirates’ Performances

• Andrew Heaney: 5.0 innings, four hits, one run, one walk, two strikeouts, 79 pitches/55 strikes
• Andrew McCutchen: 1 for 3, one home run, one RBI, one run, one walk

Stat to Know

• With his second-inning home run, Andrew McCutchen now has 800 extra-base hits, the third most among active players. Only Freddie Freeman (885 entering Sunday) and Paul Goldschmidt (833 entering Monday) have more.

Noteworthy

• McCutchen tied Arky Vaughan for the 10th-most runs scored in franchise history with 936.

Up Next

The Pirates will remain in Florida but will travel north to the spring training site of the New York Yankees… to face the Tampa Bay Rays who are using Steinbrenner Field as their home ballpark this year. RHP Carmen Mlodzinski will get the start for the Pirates. RHP Drew Rasmussen goes for the Rays. First pitch on Monday: 7:05 p.m. ET.