MLB wrap: Starling Marte hits walk-off home run to push Pirates past A's

Alexis Mansanarez

MLB wrap: Starling Marte hits walk-off home run to push Pirates past A's image

The Pirates were down two runs in the bottom of the 13th inning against the Athletics on Sunday.

Pittsburgh entered the frame trailing 3-1 but cut its deficit to one on a RBI single by Adam Frazier. Starling Marte then followed with a three-run walk-off home run to give the Pirates a 5-3 win.

"Those situations don't happen a lot, but there's something special about them," Marte said after the game through a translator, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "What I've recognized is that when it comes up to me, it's something about (those situations) that makes me feel big."

Marte came into the game with a .200 average on the season.

"More than anything, all I've got to say is that it signified a lot to be able to be that guy," he said. "It brings me back to that place of being that guy that the team can continue to depend on."

The win moves Pittsburgh to 16-15 on the season, and it now has the best record (21-6) in interleague play since the start of 2018. The A's have dropped eight of their last nine games and fell to 15-21.

Studs of the Night

Derek Dietrich, Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suárez became the first Reds players since at least 1988 to hit three consecutive home runs on three straight pitches.

Mariners rookie right-handed pitcher Erik Swanson got his first major league victory in a 10-0 win over the Indians. Swanson, who helped snap Seattle's six-game losing streak, threw six scoreless innings and allowed just one hit.

Duds of the Night

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 0 for 4 in the Blue Jays' 10-2 loss to the Rangers, but he wasn't the only one having an off game at the plate. Freddy Galvis also went 0 for 4, while Brandon Drury and Danny Jansen both went 0 for 3.

Highlights

The Padres beat the Dodgers thanks to Hunter Renfroe's walk-off grand slam. 

Ben Zobrist had an impressive night on offense and defense.

What's Next?

Diamondbacks (20-14) at Rays (21-12), 7:10 p.m. ET — Arizona, which has won four of its last five, will travel to Tampa Bay to begin a three-game interleague series with the Rays. Merrill Kelly (3-2, 3.60) will take the mound for the Diamondbacks while Blake Snell (2-3, 4.31) will start for the Rays.

 

Alexis Mansanarez