Pittsburgh left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, leading the Pirates to a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon and completing a sweep of their season series.
Falter (8-7) gave up three walks before Jonah Bride hit a single into left field with one out in the seventh inning.
“I don’t really worry about that stuff,” Falter said about the no-hit attempt. “My job is to go out there and put up zeroes and get those guys off the field as quickly as possible.”
The 27-year-old Falter allowed a single to Cristian Pache to start the eighth inning and was taken out after throwing 93 pitches (57 strikes), following an out with Kyle Stowers flying out to center. Four of Falter’s five strikeouts were against the first five batters, including striking out the side in the first inning on just 10 pitches.
“I actually had a terrible bullpen session, so I came out there, guns hot, and told myself, ‘Dude, I’m just going to grip this and rip it and see where it takes us.’ That’s what happens,” Falter said.
David Bednar took the mound in the ninth but couldn’t secure his first save since August 23. Otto Lopez started with a double, and Jake Burger reached base due to an error by shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Bednar struck out Bride and Jesús Sánchez before Pache hit an RBI single up the middle.
Jalen Beeks replaced Bednar, allowing an infield single to Stowers that loaded the bases. Beeks then got Xavier Edwards to fly out to right field for his 10th save.
“I think we’re getting better,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We’re in a definite, much better spot than we have been in the last two years with our starting pitching. We’re deeper than we have been. We have to continue to build things offensively and continue to grow that depth.”
Jonathan Bermúdez (0-1) pitched two innings for Miami in his first major-league start, giving up three runs and three hits with one walk.
