MLB Game Preview - Miami at Pittsburgh

Thu Sep 5, 2019 7:05 PM EDT

Though the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins aren't playing for much in the waning weeks of the season, they certainly are giving each other a competitive showing in their series at PNC Park.

On Tuesday, visiting Miami won the series opener 5-4 on Garrett Cooper's homer in the 10th inning. On Wednesday, Bryan Reynolds' two-run single in the bottom of the ninth gave Pittsburgh a 6-5 win and evened the series.

Both teams are languishing far down whatever version of the standings anyone might check, but this series, which concludes Thursday, wouldn't seem to indicate that. Both games have been close and gone back and forth.

"To finish strong like that was fun," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said after the Wednesday game, Pittsburgh's seventh walk-off victory of the year and sixth win when trailing after eight innings.

"Just top to bottom, we're putting together good at-bats," said Reynolds, normally the left fielder who also made two diving catches Wednesday while playing center.

Reynolds, who is hitting .332, is vying to become the first rookie to win the National League batting title. He trails only the Washington Nationals' Anthony Rendon, who is hitting .338.

With the Marlins' blown game in the ninth Wednesday, they failed in a chance to win two straight games for the first time since July 28-29 at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Wednesday marked their 10th walk-off loss.

The Marlins have dropped 16 of their past 17 road games. With a win Thursday, they would capture a road series for the first time since they took two of three from the White Sox in Chicago from July 22-24.

"I think we come in every day with a new mindset," said Cooper, who has homered in both games in the series.

"We're not worried about the day before or the week before. We have a lot of good veterans in the clubhouse that keep it real with us. Try to win the day. This group, we've had our ups and downs."

On Thursday, Miami right-hander Elieser Hernandez (3-5, 5.06 ERA) is scheduled to face Pittsburgh right-hander Dario Agrazal (4-3, 4.50).

Agrazal, who will be making his 11th major league start and 12th appearance, is getting a chance to prove himself worthy of a spot in the rotation moving into next season.

Last Friday at Colorado, he picked up his second straight win, giving up three runs and nine hits in five-plus innings during the Pirates' 9-4 victory.

Agrazal made his major league debut at Miami, getting a no-decision June 15. He pitched three scoreless innings before he gave up three runs, two of them earned, in the fourth inning before being pulled following that frame.

Hernandez will make his eighth straight start after logging five relief appearances in a row. In 12 starts overall this year, he is 3-4 with a 4.52 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings.

On Friday at Washington, Hernandez tied a career high by going six innings, giving up four runs on six hits and two with three strikeouts in a no-decision.

In his only career appearance against Pittsburgh, Sept. 8, 2018, Hernandez pitched one inning in relief, giving up one run and two hits.

--Field Level Media