Breakout Marlins P Max Meyer outduels Paul Skenes with 1-run gem vs. Pirates, sets team record in 15th start without a loss
Max Meyer’s breakout MLB season now has a signature win.
Meyer outdueled reining Cy Young winner Paul Skenes with a one-run gem on Sunday to lead the Miami Marlins to a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
With the win, Meyer lowered his season-long ERA to 2.75 and joined Jacob Misiorowski, Cristopher Sanchez and Cam Schlittler as the only pitchers in baseball with a sub-3.00 ERA and 95-plus strikeouts.
He also set a Marlins record with his 15th start of the season without being dinged with a loss. With Sunday’s win, he improved to 7-0 in his 15 starts and got there via one of his best starts of the season against arguably the best young pitcher in baseball.
In 6 innings, Meyer allowed 6 hits and 3 walks with 9 strikeouts and just the single run allowed. That run crossed the plate after the Pirates led off the bottom of the fourth inning with three consecutive singles, including an RBI knock by Jake Mangum to get the Pirates on the board and cut Miami’s lead to 2-1.
But from there, Meyer worked his way cleanly out of the jam. He struck out Jared Triolo swinging, induced a popout from Jared Triolo and got leadoff hitter Spencer Horwitz out looking on a called third strike.
From there, Meyer didn’t allow another run and left the game with a 2-1 lead, which was enough to be credited with the win.
Meyer, 27, is a full-time MLB starter for the first time after making no more than 12 starts in parts of three previous season in Miami. He posted a career-best 4.73 ERA in 12 starts in 2025 and is playing this season on a one-year, $980,000 contract.
Meyer is making a case for an All-Star bid in July and a lucrative pay raise in the offseason if he can maintain this level of pitching for the full season.
Skenes takes a tough-luck loss
Skenes pitched a strong outing opposite Meyer. But a pair of Marlins home runs in the second inning were enough to hang a loss on his record.
Heriberto Hernández led off the frame with a solo shot into the left-field bleachers.
Joe Mash added another run with a solo shot over the center-field wall with two outs.
And thanks to Meyer’s gem and three one-run innings from the Miami bullpen, the Marlins never trailed. They added on a pair of insurance runs late against a shaky Pittsburgh pen.
On the day, Skenes surrendered 2 earned runs on 4 hits, 1 walk and 2 home runs while striking out 10 in 6 innings. He leaves Sunday with a 2.85 ERA and a 6-6 record.
The result of Sunday’s game left both teams at 36-36 and in fourth place in their respective divisions, both of which are competitive. The Marlins and Pirates are both in the early-season playoff picture and leave Sunday 1.5 games outside of the NL wild card.
