RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesPITTSBURGH — Don’t look now, but the Mets are suddenly surging.
A 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night at PNC Park matched their season-high win streak with four in a row. It’s not much, but it’s better baseball than the team has played all season.
The Mets jumped all over Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski early in the game, going up 1-0 in the first, 5-0 in the third, and 6-0 in the fourth. They knocked out Mlodzinski after the third inning, scoring four times after a rain delay, then continued to put pressure on the bullpen.
Marcus Semien hit his 14th homer of the season in the third, his second in as many games. A.J. Ewing went 3 for 4 with a double and two runs scored, and Carson Benge went 2 for 2 with two RBIs before leaving the game with a sore wrist.
Playing left field instead of his usual right, Benge chased after a deep fly ball in the third inning that tailed toward the wall. He slid into it hard, coming up holding his wrist. The rookie outfielder stayed in the game, but was later removed for Christian Pache.
Left-hander Zach Thornton tossed five shutout innings, handing the ball over to right-hander Dedniel Nuñez in the sixth. The Mets’ bullpen isn’t what it was a week ago, but Nuñez, left-hander Jefry Yan and right-hander Daniel Duarte limited the damage to keep the Mets ahead.
Nuñez left the game after giving up back-to-back singles in the bottom of the seventh. With the Mets up 6-0, Yan gave up an RBI single to Jared Triolo, putting the Pirates on the board. No. 9 hitter Rafael Flores Jr. walked to turn over the lineup and load the bases with no outs. Former Mets prospect Jake Mangum hit a fly ball to right field for the first out, deep enough to score the lead runner.
Yan got Nathaniel Lowe to pop up to third base for the second out. With Bryan Reynolds at the plate trying to extend the inning, Yan threw a slider in the dirt that bounced past catcher Luis Torrens. Triolo came from third, but Torrens dove for it and Yan sprinted in from the mound, sliding over home plate right as he caught the ball.
It was the exact right time. Triolo was out, and the call was confirmed after a review.
Luke Weaver made his Pirates debut against the team that traded him Monday at the deadline. He gave up a single to Ewing with two outs and walked Francisco Lindor, but he managed to stop a rally before it started, retiring Bo Bichette.
Mets closer Devin Williams, who experienced arm fatigue earlier this week in Cleveland, had a shaky ninth, giving up two runs. The defense bailed him out, with Brett Baty throwing out Jacob Gonzalez at the wall on his RBI single to right field. The run made it a save opportunity, and Williams converted it for his 17th this season, but not before giving up another walk and another RBI single.
According to Fangraphs, the Mets have only a .01% chance of making the playoffs. If they go 37-9 the rest of the way, they could make the postseason. It’s unlikely, but nearly everything about the Mets is unlikely.
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