PITTSBURGH -- Xavier Scruggs had a ball sitting in his locker after his milestone hit in the Miami Marlins' latest win.
That ball, which Scruggs smashed into the left-field bleachers for his first major league home run, will be given to his father. The two-run shot helped the Marlins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 Saturday night for their second straight win.
"It felt great," Scruggs said. "That's the thing that was most important, was just being able to provide something for this team. You can get a hit at any time, but the big hits are the ones that really matter."
David Phelps pitched six scoreless innings, Miguel Rojas scored on an error in the third and Ichiro Suzuki doubled down the right field line in the fourth -- for his 3,008th hit in the majors to move into 28th place on the career list -- before Scruggs went deep.
Phelps (7-6) allowed two hits and two walks with nine strikeouts while throwing 96 pitches in six scoreless innings in his fourth start of the season. He had not gone more than 5 1/3 innings or thrown more than 90 pitches in his previous three starts.
"To give us six there, and obviously the zeroes, he's been great," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "He's pitched great. Now, he's to the point where he's saying he felt like he could have gone back out. It's just been anything we've asked him to do, he's been able to do."
Fernando Rodney got the last three outs for his sixth save with the Marlins and 23rd overall this season.
Miami has won two straight after a three-game skid, and handed Pittsburgh is second straight loss after winning six of its previous seven.
Chad Kuhl (3-1) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his past six starts.
"I think that (catcher Francisco Cervelli) did a good job with getting me back to my fastbal," Kuhl said. "My fastball wasn't there in the beginning. I threw a ton of off-speed pitches and when you throw off-speed, you really have to trust it. That really got my arm going. I was able to get back to my fastball and be efficient in later innings."
Scruggs, who went 1 for 3 in his season debut on Friday, had not homered in 65 plate appearances with Miami and St. Louis spanning three seasons.
Josh Harrison opened the bottom of the first with a single before Phelps forced Starling Marte into a double play. Phelps faced the minimum until walking John Jaso with two out in the fifth, ending a streak of 13 straight batters retired.
Phelps struck out five of six batters in the second and third innings, and retired the side in order in the fourth. He struck out Gregory Polanco and David Freese to start the fifth before walking Jaso.
"(Phelps) was just on top of his game," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We weren't able to push him back. Harrison had three hits and Mercer had one. They're hitting way too far apart so that's minor. Get a bunch of them and maybe something good happens. So, whether you like it or not, their pitcher was better than our offense tonight."
Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen inadvertently helped give the Marlins their 1-0 lead in the third when Dee Gordon's fly ball clanked out of McCutchen's glove for an error that allowed Rojas to score from second base.
Harrison, who had three hits, drove in Jordy Mercer with a single to left field in the eighth inning to pull the Pirates to 3-1.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: Pittsburgh placed 3B Jung Ho Kang on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder injury sustained in Friday night's game. The Pirates recalled 1B-OF Josh Bell from Triple-A Indianapolis to take Kang's place on the 25-man active roster.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Jose Urena (1-4, 6.40) will look for his first win since July 19 when he faces the Pirates on Sunday. Urena has allowed a combined 13 earned runs over his past two starts.
Pirates: Ryan Vogelsong (2-2, 3.20) will attempt to pick up a second consecutive win after allowing four earned runs in his last outing. He has allowed five earned runs in three starts since returning from an eye injury on Aug. 4.



Final
Series: Game 2 of 3

Marlins 3

(64-59, 33-31 away)

Pirates 1

(62-58, 33-27 home)












7:05PM,EDT,August 20,2016
PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

123456789 R H E
MIA 001200000 3 6 0
PIT 000000010 1 4 1
W: D. Phelps (7-6)
L: C. Kuhl (3-1)
S: F. Rodney (23)











  View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-PitchInning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Miami - Top of 1stSCORE
Chad Kuhl pitching for PittsburghMIAPIT
Gordon grounded out to first.00
Prado popped out to second.00
Yelich grounded out to second.00
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Pittsburgh - Bottom of 1stSCORE
David Phelps pitching for MiamiMIAPIT
Harrison singled to left.00
Marte grounded into double play, pitcher to shortstop to first, Harrison out at second.00
McCutchen lined out to second.00
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Miami - Top of 2ndSCORE
Chad Kuhl pitching for PittsburghMIAPIT
Ozuna grounded out to pitcher.00
Realmuto singled to left.00
Suzuki lined out to center.00
Scruggs flied out to right.00
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Pittsburgh - Bottom of 2ndSCORE
David Phelps pitching for MiamiMIAPIT
Polanco struck out looking.00
Freese struck out swinging.00
Jaso grounded out to second.00
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Miami - Top of 3rdSCORE
Chad Kuhl pitching for PittsburghMIAPIT
Rojas singled to left.00
Phelps singled to right, Rojas to second.00
Gordon safe at first on error by center fielder McCutchen, Rojas scored, Phelps to second.10
Prado grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Gordon out at second, Phelps to third.10
Yelich grounded into double play, pitcher to shortstop to first, Prado out at second.10
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors
Pittsburgh - Bottom of 3rdSCORE
David Phelps pitching for MiamiMIAPIT
Cervelli struck out swinging.10
Mercer struck out swinging.10
Kuhl struck out looking.10
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Miami - Top of 4thSCORE
Chad Kuhl pitching for PittsburghMIAPIT
Ozuna flied out to center.10
Realmuto flied out to right.10
Suzuki doubled to deep right.10
Scruggs homered to left (428 feet), Suzuki scored.30
Rojas flied out to left.30
2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Pittsburgh - Bottom of 4thSCORE
David Phelps pitching for MiamiMIAPIT
Harrison grounded out to shortstop.30
Marte grounded out to pitcher.30
McCutchen flied out to right.30
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Miami - Top of 5thSCORE
Chad Kuhl pitching for PittsburghMIAPIT
Phelps grounded out to shortstop.30
Gordon flied out to left.30
Prado grounded out to second.30
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Pittsburgh - Bottom of 5thSCORE
David Phelps pitching for MiamiMIAPIT
Polanco struck out looking.30
Freese struck out swinging.30
Jaso walked.30
Cervelli walked, Jaso to second.30
Mercer flied out to right.30
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Miami - Top of 6thSCORE
Chad Kuhl pitching for PittsburghMIAPIT
Yelich grounded out to second.30
Ozuna grounded out to shortstop.30
Realmuto grounded out to third.30
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Pittsburgh - Bottom of 6thSCORE
David Phelps pitching for MiamiMIAPIT
Frazier hit for Kuhl.30
Frazier struck out looking.30
Harrison doubled to deep right center.30
Marte grounded out to shortstop, Harrison to third.30
McCutchen struck out looking.30
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Miami - Top of 7thSCORE
Jeff Locke pitching for PittsburghMIAPIT
Locke relieved Kuhl.30
Suzuki bunt grounded out to first.30
Scruggs grounded out to shortstop.30
Rojas singled to right.30
Andino hit for Phelps.30
Andino grounded into fielder's choice to third, Rojas out at second.30
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Pittsburgh - Bottom of 7thSCORE
Mike Dunn pitching for MiamiMIAPIT
Dunn relieved Phelps.30
Rojas at first base.30
Hechavarría at shortstop.30
Polanco struck out swinging.30
Freese struck out swinging.30
Bell hit for Jaso.30
Bell flied out to center.30
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Miami - Top of 8thSCORE
Jeff Locke pitching for PittsburghMIAPIT
Bell at first base.30
Gordon bunt grounded out to pitcher.30
Prado grounded out to second.30
Yelich grounded out to second.30
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Pittsburgh - Bottom of 8thSCORE
Kyle Barraclough pitching for MiamiMIAPIT
Barraclough relieved Dunn.30
Cervelli flied out to right.30
Mercer doubled to deep right.30
Joyce hit for Locke.30
Joyce struck out looking.30
Harrison singled to left center, Mercer scored.31
Marte grounded into fielder's choice to third, Harrison out at second.31
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Miami - Top of 9thSCORE
Jared Hughes pitching for PittsburghMIAPIT
Hughes relieved Locke.31
Polanco in left field.31
Joyce in right field.31
Ozuna struck out swinging.31
Realmuto struck out swinging.31
Suzuki grounded out to second.31
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Pittsburgh - Bottom of 9thSCORE
Fernando Rodney pitching for MiamiMIAPIT
Rodney relieved Barraclough.31
McCutchen struck out swinging.31
Polanco lined out to left.31
Freese struck out swinging.31
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors




 Miami Marlins

HittersABRHRBIBBSO#PAVGOBPSLG
Gordon 2B4000006.281.325.343
Prado 3B40000011.323.376.440
Yelich LF40000017.314.383.492
Ozuna CF40000117.277.332.490
Realmuto C40100117.311.354.416
Suzuki RF41100010.312.382.389
Scruggs 1B3112009.333.429.833
Dunn P
0000000.000.000.000
0000000.000.000.000
0000000.000.000.000
Rojas SS-1B3120008.263.298.338
Phelps P2010009.200.200.200
a-Andino PH
1000005.273.273.273
0000000.247.294.331
Totals3336202109   
a-grounded into fielder's choice to third for D Phelps in the 7th
BATTING
2B: Suzuki (12, Kuhl)
HR: Scruggs (1, 4th inning off Kuhl 1 on, 2 Out)
RBI: Scruggs 2 (2)
2-out RBI: Scruggs 2
GIDP: Yelich
Marlins RISP: 1-4 (Gordon 0-1, Prado 0-1, Yelich 0-1, Scruggs 1-1)
Team LOB: 3
FIELDING
DP: 1 (Phelps-Rojas-Scruggs).

Game Information

StadiumPNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Attendance37,828 (98.6% full) - % is based on regular season capacity
Game Time2:30
Weather84 degrees, partly cloudy
Wind10 mph
UmpiresHome Plate - Ron Kulpa, First Base - Chris Conroy, Second Base - Jerry Meals, Third Base - Paul Nauert