Martin's pinch-hit single in 10th lifts Pirates over Marlins 5-4 for 5th straight win

PITTSBURGH — Russell Martin's pinch-hit single with two outs in the 10th inning lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Miami Marlins 5-4 Thursday for their fifth straight win.

Martin delivered his fourth game-ending hit at PNC Park this year for the NL Central leaders.

The Pirates swept the three-game series and improved to 70-44, the best record in the majors. Miami lost a 4-0 lead and fell for the fifth time in a row.

Josh Harrison opened the 10th with a single off Steve Ames (0-1) and took second on Clint Barmes' sacrifice bunt. After Jose Tabata bounced out and Starling Marte was intentionally walked, Martin batted for Jared Hughes (2-2) and grounded a single down the left-field line.

Neil Walker had three hits and two RBIs for Pittsburgh and Marte had two hits. Pirates star Andrew McCutchen was scratched from the starting lineup because of discomfort in his right shoulder, but singled as a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

Marlins rookie Christian Yelich had three hits, including his first major league homer.

Starters Jose Fernandez and Gerrit Cole each lasted only five innings, and neither touted rookie was sharp.

Cole allowed four runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts. He is winless in seven starts since winning the first four starts of his career.

The Pirates tied the score at 4 in the seventh on sacrifice flies by Walker and pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez. They had drawn within 4-2 in the fifth on consecutive RBI singles by Walker and Pedro Alvarez.

Miami built a 4-0 lead by scoring twice in the first and fifth innings. Giancarlo Stanton drove in the game's first run with a double and scored on Placido Polanco's single, then Yelich hit a two-run homer in the fifth.