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jg2977 · 07-08-2025, 07:19 AM

Walk-Off Wonder: Pirates Take Game 1 Thriller from Marlins
By the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sports Staff

PITTSBURGH — On a crisp October afternoon along the Allegheny, the Pittsburgh Pirates delivered playoff drama befitting their historic ballpark, edging the Miami Marlins 3-2 in 10 innings to seize a 1-0 lead in the National League Wild Card Series.

With 48,079 black-and-gold faithful packed into PNC Park, it was the homegrown Justin Pitre, a former first-round draft pick, who delivered the final blow—an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th that sent the crowd into rapture and the Pirates into the win column.

“I just wanted to stay calm, stay loose, and not try to do too much,” Pitre said, still catching his breath in a postgame scrum. “This is what you dream about—October baseball in Pittsburgh.”

The Pirates leaned on seven strong innings from veteran right-hander Eduardo Gavarrete, who allowed six hits and two earned runs while striking out four. Gavarrete, unflinching in his approach, settled in after giving up a pair of runs in the fourth, including a two-out triple by Miami’s Jose Cruz.

But the Pirates answered back quickly. In the bottom half of the third, center fielder Jon Jantz laced a two-run single to tie the game. From there, the two clubs traded scoreless frames until the decisive 10th.

Jon Farley, Pittsburgh’s unsung bullpen hero, tossed three clean innings of relief to earn the win. His calm presence on the mound set the stage for the walk-off, and manager Craig Blackwood didn’t hesitate to praise him.

“Farley gave us exactly what we needed—steady hands and shutdown innings,” Blackwood said. “That allowed us to be patient and get the bats going again.”

Miami Missteps Costly
Despite a solid outing from Miami starter Pedro Guzman, who struck out five over seven innings, the Marlins struggled defensively—committing two errors in the later innings, including one by center fielder Nick Walker that loomed large in the Pirates' 10th-inning rally.

“It’s playoff baseball,” said Miami skipper Ramón Borrero. “One swing, one play, one bounce can change everything. Today, it just didn’t go our way.”

Game 2 Outlook
The series resumes tomorrow at PNC Park. The Pirates will have a chance to close out the best-of-three set and advance to the National League Division Series. With momentum—and now a taste of magic—on their side, the Bucs are one win away from extending a storybook season.

“We’ve got work to do,” Pitre said. “But yeah—it feels pretty good right now.”

GAME NOTES

Player of the Game: Eduardo Gavarrete
Attendance: 48,079
Weather: Clear, 57°F, wind blowing in from center at 8 mph
Start Time: 2:05 p.m. ET
Time of Game: 2:38
Next game: Thursday, October 5 — PNC Park. First pitch scheduled for 2:05 p.m. ET.

07-08-2025, 07:19 AM	#2555
jg2977 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 24,512	Walk-Off Wonder: Pirates Take Game 1 Thriller from Marlins By the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sports Staff PITTSBURGH — On a crisp October afternoon along the Allegheny, the Pittsburgh Pirates delivered playoff drama befitting their historic ballpark, edging the Miami Marlins 3-2 in 10 innings to seize a 1-0 lead in the National League Wild Card Series. With 48,079 black-and-gold faithful packed into PNC Park, it was the homegrown Justin Pitre, a former first-round draft pick, who delivered the final blow—an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th that sent the crowd into rapture and the Pirates into the win column. “I just wanted to stay calm, stay loose, and not try to do too much,” Pitre said, still catching his breath in a postgame scrum. “This is what you dream about—October baseball in Pittsburgh.” The Pirates leaned on seven strong innings from veteran right-hander Eduardo Gavarrete, who allowed six hits and two earned runs while striking out four. Gavarrete, unflinching in his approach, settled in after giving up a pair of runs in the fourth, including a two-out triple by Miami’s Jose Cruz. But the Pirates answered back quickly. In the bottom half of the third, center fielder Jon Jantz laced a two-run single to tie the game. From there, the two clubs traded scoreless frames until the decisive 10th. Jon Farley, Pittsburgh’s unsung bullpen hero, tossed three clean innings of relief to earn the win. His calm presence on the mound set the stage for the walk-off, and manager Craig Blackwood didn’t hesitate to praise him. “Farley gave us exactly what we needed—steady hands and shutdown innings,” Blackwood said. “That allowed us to be patient and get the bats going again.” Miami Missteps Costly Despite a solid outing from Miami starter Pedro Guzman, who struck out five over seven innings, the Marlins struggled defensively—committing two errors in the later innings, including one by center fielder Nick Walker that loomed large in the Pirates' 10th-inning rally. “It’s playoff baseball,” said Miami skipper Ramón Borrero. “One swing, one play, one bounce can change everything. Today, it just didn’t go our way.” Game 2 Outlook The series resumes tomorrow at PNC Park. The Pirates will have a chance to close out the best-of-three set and advance to the National League Division Series. With momentum—and now a taste of magic—on their side, the Bucs are one win away from extending a storybook season. “We’ve got work to do,” Pitre said. “But yeah—it feels pretty good right now.” GAME NOTES Player of the Game: Eduardo Gavarrete Attendance: 48,079 Weather: Clear, 57°F, wind blowing in from center at 8 mph Start Time: 2:05 p.m. ET Time of Game: 2:38 Next game: Thursday, October 5 — PNC Park. First pitch scheduled for 2:05 p.m. ET. Attached Images Last edited by jg2977; 07-08-2025 at 07:20 AM.