Andrew McCutchen passes Roberto Clemente's home run mark, Pirates beat Marlins

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jun 11, 2025

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — After passing a Pirates legend, Andrew McCutchen stood and waved to the crowd.

McCutchen hit his 241st home run as a Pirate on Wednesday, breaking a tie with Roberto Clemente for the third-most homers in Pirates history. The homer, a three-run blast in the fifth inning, led the Pirates to a 5-2 victory against the Miami Marlins.

Pittsburgh has won five of its last six games. The Pirates won six games in the nine-game homestand.

Pirates starter Bailey Falter earned the win, improving to 5-3. He cruised through the first four innings on 38 pitches but needed to escape a bases-loaded jam in the fifth. He was pulled in the sixth after allowing a homer to Marlins right fielder Heriberto Hernandez, the first of Hernandez’s career. In all, Falter completed 5⅓ innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and a walk. He struck out three.

Marlins starter Cal Quantrill took the loss, falling to 3-7. He completed five innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits and two walks. He had six strikeouts.

The Pirates scored their first run with an old-school first-and-third play. With two outs and two strikes, third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes broke for second but stopped halfway between the bases. Marlins catcher Nick Fortes threw down to second, but second baseman Xavier Edwards mishandled the throw as he tried to run down Hayes. When the throw bounced into center field, catcher Henry Davis scored from third.

The Pirates looked to break it open in the fifth. Hayes led off with a single, part of a 2 for 3 day with two stolen bases. Center fielder Oneil Cruz walked, then McCutchen hit a Quantrill splitter into the left-field bleachers for his historic home run.

McCutchen stepped out of the dugout for a curtain call. He received a standing ovation.

It was over when ...

The Pirates tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning. They loaded the bases against Marlins reliever Lake Bachar with two walks and a Spencer Horwitz double, before Adam Frazier’s sacrifice fly scored Bryan Reynolds from third.

David Bednar pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two for his ninth save of the season.

On the mound

The Marlins’ best opportunity came after Falter was pulled in the sixth. Right-hander Braxton Ashcraft came in to relieve him but only got one out, walking two, allowing a single and an RBI groundout. The run was the first run Ashcraft has allowed in his major league career.

Dennis Santana came in with runners on first and second and two outs. He struck out pinch hitter Kyle Stowers to end the sixth, then pitched a clean seventh inning.

At the plate

The Pirates had seven hits. The only extra-base hits were McCutchen’s blast and Horwitz’s double in the eighth.

Most valuable player

By passing Clemente, McCutchen further cemented his own status as a Pirates great.

Up next

The Pirates begin a seven-game road trip on Thursday, as they travel to Chicago for four games against the Cubs. Thursday night’s game at Wrigley Field begins at 8:05 p.m. ET and features Andrew Heaney (3-4, 3.24 ERA) against Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon (6-3, 3.54).

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