MIAMI, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Michael Stanton had a three-run homer as part of his five RBI Thursday and the Florida Marlins survived a late comeback to outslug Pittsburgh 11-9.
The Pirates dropped their 103rd game this season and are one loss away from equaling their second-largest total in the last 58 years. A 104-loss season would also equal the third-worst in the 127-year history of the franchise.
Pittsburgh's record for most losses is 113, set in 1890. The Pirates lost 112 games in 1952.
Florida took a 10-2 lead through six innings with half those runs driven in by Stanton. Five of the Florida runs were unearned thanks to three Pittsburgh errors.
Stanton had an RBI single in a four-run first, an inning that was finished off by a two-run double from West Helms. Stanton hit his home run in the fourth and added a run-scoring base hit in the fifth.
Pittsburgh closed the deficit by scoring seven times over the final three innings, the last three runs coming on a homer by Pedro Alvarez.
The win went to Florida starter Chris Volstad (12-9), who gave up two runs on six hits in six innings. Leo Nunez came on after Pittsburgh had scored three times in the ninth to strike out the final two batters and pick up his 30th save.
Zach Duke (9-15) surrendered four earned runs out of nine overall on eight hits in four innings.
