PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The Miami Marlins broke open a tight pitchers’ duel with a two-run eighth inning and held on for a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon at PNC Park, earning a split of the three-game series and leaving both teams at .500.

Miami improved to 36-36, matching Pittsburgh’s identical record. The Marlins seized a 2-0 lead in the second inning on back-to-back solo home runs by left fielder Heriberto Hernández and catcher Joe Mack, but Pirates starter Paul Skenes settled in after that, striking out 10 over six innings while allowing only four hits and two earned runs. Pittsburgh trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth when center fielder Jake Mangum lined an RBI single to center, scoring third baseman Nick Gonzales.

The game remained 2-1 until the top of the eighth, when the Marlins mounted the decisive rally. After Connor Norby struck out to open the inning, first baseman Liam Hicks singled to right field. Shortstop Otto Lopez followed with a single to left, moving Hicks to second. Left fielder Kyle Stowers then grounded a single through the right side that deflected off second baseman Brandon Lowe, scoring Hicks and advancing Lopez to third. Second baseman Xavier Edwards ripped a line-drive single to center, scoring Lopez and sending Stowers to second. The rally continued when right fielder Esteury Ruiz was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but center fielder Jakob Marsee struck out on a foul tip to end the inning. Still, Miami had extended its lead to 4-1.

Pittsburgh answered in the bottom of the ninth against Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks. After Spencer Horwitz and Brandon Lowe both struck out, left fielder Bryan Reynolds crushed a solo home run to center field, his eighth of the season, cutting the lead to 4-2. But Fairbanks got first baseman Ryan O’Hearn to line out sharply to center, securing his ninth save of the season.

Marlins starter Max Meyer earned the victory, improving to 7-0. He worked six innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out seven and walking two. Fairbanks closed with a scoreless ninth, allowing only the Reynolds homer. Skenes took the loss, falling to 6-6, despite a strong outing in which he struck out 10 and walked one over six innings. The Pirates bullpen could not hold the deficit; reliever Brandan Bidois allowed two earned runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning in the eighth.

Key performances for the Pirates included Mangum, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Reynolds, who finished 2 for 3 with a home run, an RBI and a walk. Skenes also contributed with his bat, but the Pirates offense managed only eight hits and struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position. Miami totaled nine hits, with Hicks and Lopez each collecting two. Hernandez homered for the Marlins, his sixth of the year, and Mack hit his second.

Defensive miscues hurt Pittsburgh. In the sixth inning, a throwing error by shortstop Otto Lopez briefly allowed Henry Davis to reach base, but catcher Joe Mack caught Davis stealing second to end the inning. In the eighth, a fielding error by third baseman Javier Sanoja put Mangum on base, but the Pirates grounded into a double play to squander the threat.

The game drew an announced crowd of 18,127 on an afternoon that saw temperatures in the low 70s under partly cloudy skies. The contest lasted 2 hours, 56 minutes.

Pittsburgh had won the series opener 3-2 on Saturday, while Miami took the Friday game 8-3. The Marlins now travel to Philadelphia for a three-game series beginning Monday, while the Pirates head to for a three-game set against the Athletics.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Miami Marlins 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 3. Interstat’s ELO system projected Pittsburgh with a 52.40 percent probability to win. The Pirates had been installed as the pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 6 went over the over/under line of 7.5.