Díaz homer in 10th lifts Marlins 6-5, denies Pirates sweep

MIAMI -- — Lewin Díaz led off the bottom of the 10th with a two-run homer off Chad Kuhl, and the Miami Marlins beat Pittsburgh 6-5 Sunday to deny the Pirates what would have been their first series sweep this season.

Díaz’s drive off Kuhl (5-7) bounced off the façade in right-center for his first game-ending home run of his big league career. It scored Jesús Sánchez, the automatic runner under pandemic rules.

“It was very exciting to have that opportunity,” Díaz said. “I was thinking of not doing too much, just putting the ball in play.”

In a see-saw game, Hoy Park put Pittsburgh ahead with a two-run homer in the ninth off Dylan Floro, and Bryan De La Cruz hit a tying single against Chris Stratton with two outs in the bottom half.

Ben Gamel’s sacrifice fly off Steven Okert (2-1) gave the Pirates a 5-4 lead in the 10th after automatic runner Ke’Bryan Hayes advanced on a wild pitch.

“If we keep winning the first two games of a series and put ourselves in position to sweep, we’re going to be in good shape,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “But today’s a tough one because we had the lead twice and ended giving it up.”

Miami starter Sandy Alcantara allowed two runs and four hits in six-plus innings.

“Sandy’s stuff is always good,” Miami manager Don Mattingly said. “I didn’t see him as sharp but Sandy’s always good.”

Joe Panik snapped an 0-for-14 slide with a two-run double in the fourth that gave Miami its first lead in the series.

Sánchez's sacrifice fly in the fifth made it 3-1 before Anthony Alford's RBI triple off Alcantara in the seventh got the Pirates within a run.

Pittsburgh starter Max Kranick, recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis, allowed three runs and four hits in five innings.

BENCHMARK

Alcantara made his 31st start and also is six shy of 200 innings this season. The 24-year-old likely has two outing remaining.

“Throw a lot of innings is the goal I strived for this year,” Alcantara said. “I want to finish strong and healthy. That’s what I always ask God.”

PRODUCTIVE WEEKEND

Cole Tucker went 6 for 11 in the series against Miami, raising his average to .211.

“That’s what I’m striving to do every time,” Tucker said. “To hit it on the head and have true success all weekend was really fun. I’ll try to carry over it into Cincinnati.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Bryse Wilson (left hamstring strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Wilson sustained the injury after attempting to beat out a grounder in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game, which Wilson started and won his first outing as a Pirate.

UP NEXT

Pirates: LHP Dillon Peters (1-2, 2.66) is to start the opener of a three-game series at Cincinnati on Monday.

Marlins: LHP Jesús Luzardo (5-8, 6.80) will make his second consecutive start against Washington on Monday. Luzardo lasted 4 1/3 innings and allowed four runs and seven hits at Washington on Sept. 14.

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