PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Spencer Horwitz was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, forcing in the go-ahead run and lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday evening at PNC Park.

The Pirates snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 36-35, while the Marlins fell to 35-36. The game lasted 2 hours, 52 minutes before an announced crowd of 31,192.

Pittsburgh tied the game in the third inning on a double by Bryan Reynolds that scored Horwitz, and the score remained 2-2 until the decisive eighth.

The Marlins had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on a single by Liam Hicks that scored Jakob Marsee, who led off the inning with a double. Miami added another run in the sixth on a ground-ball single by Heriberto Hernández that scored Xavier Edwards, who had reached on a hit by pitch after a successful challenge.

Pittsburgh’s first run came in the bottom of the first. After Horwitz was hit by a pitch and Brandon Lowe walked, Ryan O’Hearn singled to right field, scoring Horwitz. The Pirates then tied the game in the third when Reynolds doubled sharply to center, plating Horwitz again.

The game turned in the bottom of the eighth. With the score 2-2, Tyler Callihan led off with a single to left. Jake Mangum followed with a single to center, sending Callihan to third. Jared Triolo walked to load the bases. Horwitz then was hit by a pitch, forcing in Callihan with the go-ahead run. Lowe grounded out to end the inning, but the damage was done.

Yohan Ramirez (4-2) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief. He allowed one hit and struck out one. Gregory Soto pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save, working around a leadoff single by Esteury Ruiz and a fielder’s choice before striking out Connor Norby and getting Hicks to ground out.

Anthony Bender (1-1) took the loss, allowing one run on two hits in one inning of work.

The Pirates’ offense was led by O’Hearn, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Callihan, who also had two hits. Reynolds went 1 for 4 with an RBI. Horwitz finished 1 for 3 with an RBI and was hit by a pitch twice.

For the Marlins, Otto Lopez went 2 for 3 with a walk. Hicks, Hernandez and Marsee each had one hit. Marsee’s double was the only extra-base hit for Miami.

The game featured two successful challenges. In the top of the sixth, the Marlins successfully overturned a call that had ruled Kyle Stowers hit by a pitch, allowing him to reach base. In the same inning, the Pirates challenged a tag play at second base, but the call was upheld.

Miami had a chance to extend its lead in the seventh when Norby doubled with two outs, but Hicks flied out to second base. The Marlins also put two runners on in the eighth after Lopez singled and Edwards walked, but three consecutive strikeouts ended the threat.

Pittsburgh’s bullpen combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings, with Mason Montgomery tossing 1 1/3 hitless frames.

The Marlins had won the series opener 8-3 the previous afternoon and entered the game having won five of their previous six contests. The Pirates had lost three of their previous four.

The decisive moment came when Horwitz was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, a play that mirrored the first-inning hit by pitch that led to Pittsburgh’s first run. The Pirates’ ability to manufacture runs without a base hit in the eighth proved the difference.

Neither team scored after the sixth until the eighth-inning sequence. The Marlins’ bullpen had held the Pirates scoreless in the fourth through seventh innings, allowing just three hits over that span.

Pittsburgh starter Calvin Faucher allowed two runs on five hits over six innings, striking out six and walking two. Miami starter, not named in the provided information, did not factor into the decision.

The Marlins will send a pitcher to the mound in Sunday’s series finale, while the Pirates will counter with a starter as both teams look to gain ground in their respective divisions.

In the top of the ninth, Miami mounted a final rally. Ruiz singled to left, but was erased on a fielder’s choice. Norby struck out, and Hicks grounded out to first to end the game.

The victory moved the Pirates back above .500 and evened the series at one game apiece.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Miami 7, Pittsburgh 4, while the ELO system gave the Pirates a 51.90 percent chance to win. Pittsburgh was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total of 5 runs went over the over-under line of 9.