Andrew McCutchen wanted to offer some calming words to a teammate who was frustrated that he had just added to the Pirates' biggest problem.
Trevor Williams had just allowed a pair of home runs to nullify the Pirates' rally from a three-run deficit, and he had just become the latest starting pitcher to have a short outing.
So, McCutchen approached Williams in the third-base dugout at PNC Park.
"'Hey, we're still in it,'" McCutchen recalled telling Williams. "'We're going to pick you up."
Those words rang true, as the Pirates scored three runs in the seventh inning and the bullpen threw four scoreless innings, including a four-out save by Felipe Rivero, to earn a 7-6 victory over the Marlins.
The victory snapped the Pirates' four-game losing streak, improving their record to 27-35, and it came at a critical time.
"Just to stop the bleeding," Jordy Mercer said of its significance. "I think that’s what it was. Get the momentum back on our side, especially at home. I think that’s the biggest thing."
The Pirates had 16 hits after failing to mount a comeback Friday night. This time, though, they were able to overcome another poor starting pitching performance.
Williams was pulled after that fourth inning — which included back-to-back home runs by J.T. Realmuto and Derek Dietrich — and allowed five runs on six hits. Like the Pirates' other struggling starters, Williams' fastball was elevated and his breaking pitches lacked movement.
The Marlins jumped on him with three runs in the first. He threw just 63 pitches, 45 strikes, and forced Clint Hurdle to use his bullpen to secure the win.
