Stowers' Walk-Off Hit in Ninth Inning Lifts Marlins to 5-4 Win Over Pirates in Season Opener

Kyle Stowers delivered a clutch run-scoring single in the ninth inning to propel the Miami Marlins to a thrilling 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, marking a dramatic start to Clayton McCullough’s tenure as Miami’s manager.

The Marlins trailed 4-2 heading into the ninth, but a leadoff triple by Nick Fortes ignited the rally against Pittsburgh reliever David Bednar (0-1).

After Xavier Edwards was intentionally walked, Edwards stole second, setting the stage for Stowers’ line drive to right field, which brought pinch-runner Javier Sanoja home for the game-winning run.

Jesús Tinoco (1-0) closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth, but not without some drama.

Tinoco found himself in a jam after Tommy Pham doubled and Bryan Reynolds walked, putting two men on with one out.

The Pirates then pulled off a double steal to put runners on second and third, but Tinoco kept his composure and struck out Joey Bart to end the threat and secure the win.

The Marlins had earlier rallied to tie the game at 4-all in the eighth inning, thanks to back-to-back run-scoring singles from Otto López and Dane Myers.

Pirates starter Paul Skenes, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, had a solid outing, striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, and walking two.

Skenes’ dominance helped Pittsburgh take a 2-1 lead in the fifth after Bryan Reynolds’ two-run single chased Miami starter Sandy Alcántara from the game.

Alcántara, the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner, made his long-awaited return after missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

In his first start since Sept. 3, 2023, Alcántara pitched 4 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on two hits, striking out seven, and walking four.

Despite the struggles, his velocity was a bright spot, as Alcántara consistently threw fastballs between 98.1 and 99.6 mph, dispelling any doubts about his recovery.

Pittsburgh extended their lead to 4-1 in the sixth, thanks to a two-run homer by Nick Gonzales.

Miami’s offense had gotten on the board early with an RBI fielder’s choice by Edwards in the third.

It wasn’t until the eighth inning that the Marlins began their comeback, setting up Stowers' heroics in the ninth.

Key moments in the game were plentiful, from Alcántara's fastball firepower to Tinoco's gutsy performance in the ninth.

In the end, it was Stowers' clutch hit that sealed the Marlins’ victory in McCullough's debut as manager.