MIAMI, March 27 (UPI) — Kyle Stowers clobbered a high fastball, ripping the pitch into right field to plate the first walk-off win of the 2025 MLB season while leading the Miami Marlins past the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday in Miami.
The walk-off single capped a 5-4 comeback win in the season opener for the Marlins and Pirates at loanDepot park. The Marlins, who trailed 4-1 through 5 1/2 innings, scored three times over the final two innings.
They started their season 1-0 for the first time since 2020. The Marlins lost their previous nine opening day games to start standard, 162-game campaigns.
Pirates hitters caught only air with most of their early swings, but took advantage of a wild fifth inning from ace pitcher Sandy Alcantara to take control.
Nothing like an Opening Day walk-off dub #MarlinsBéisbol pic.twitter.com/vD0M2nSz7x— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) March 27, 2025
Alcantara, who returned from a long injury hiatus to make his first start since Sept. 3, 2023, didn’t allow a hit through the first four innings. He started the fifth with two strikeouts, but then unraveled, allowing two hits, two walks and two runs.
Pirates ace Paul Skenes allowed just three hits and fired seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs and issued two walks.
Alcantara and Skenes exchanged fatal fastballs from the start of the pitchers’ duel, touching nearly 100 mph on their overpowering heaters while mixing in off-speed offerings.
Marlins center fielder Derek Hill finally broke up the hitting drought with a leadoff double in the bottom of the third. He came around to score the game’s first run when shortstop Xavier Edwards grounded out three at-bats later.
Alcantara allowed his first hit in the top of the fifth inning, when third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes singled to right field. He then struggled with location, mostly on his off-speed offerings, resulting in consecutive walks to load the bases.
First home run of 2025 goes to Nick Gonzales pic.twitter.com/uIkSoM3o4c— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 27, 2025
Right fielder Bryan Reynolds proceeded to smack a 96-mph Alcantara sinker 105 mph up the middle of the field for a two-run single in the next at-bat, giving the Pirates their first lead.
Second baseman Nick Gonzalez added to the Pirates advantage with a 374-foot, two-run homer to left field in the top of the sixth.
The Marlins sliced into the deficit when Edwards scored off a wild pitch in the bottom of the same inning. They then tied the score on consecutive RBI singles from Otto Lopez and Dane Myers in the eighth.
Marlins relief pitcher Jesus Tinoco escaped trouble in the top of the ninth to keep the game tied. Marlins catcher Nick Fortes lined a triple to right to start the bottom of the final inning. Stowers came to the plate two at-bats later and hit his single to right field, allowing pinch runner Javier Sanoja to score the winning run.
Alcantara allowed two hits and two runs, while issuing four walks and seven strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. Stowers went 1 for 3 with an RBI, run scored, two walks and two strikeouts for the Marlins.
The Marlins (1-0) will host the Pirates (0-1) in the second game of the four-game series at 7:10 p.m. EDT Friday in Miami.
