Pittsburgh came in having dropped 2 straight, including the series opener to this same Miami club, and the vibes were already sour before first pitch. A loss like that doesn't do much for a team clinging to a long-shot Wild Card push.
Miami did what hot teams do. A four-run second inning blew the game open, and by the time the Marlins tacked on two more in the sixth, Pittsburgh's offense had already gone quiet after a couple of early runs. Nine hits, one Miami error aside, and Junk settled in well enough to let the bullpen close it out.
For Pittsburgh, it's the same story that's dogged this team for weeks — thin pitching depth, injuries piling up in the middle of the order, and a bullpen that keeps getting overexposed behind an opener who can't go more than 3 innings. Miami, meanwhile, keeps riding this streak into a series they now control, with a chance to finish the sweep and keep pace in a crowded NL East and Wild Card picture.