Mets Beat Pirates 4-2 behind Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso to split doubleheader

Mets Outfielders Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo (Photo Credits to Wendell Cruz-USA Today Sports) The New York Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 tonight at Citi Field to split the day-night doublheader and improved their record to 47-39. The offense got off to a fast start in the bottom of the first inning after SS Francisco Lindor singled with one out and then LF Dom Smith followed with a walk. 1B Pete Alonso struck out, but then 2B Jeff McNeil came up and delivered a two-run double into the gap in right center field. It was McNeil's first extra base hit in 60 at-bats since he returned from the injured list. In the bottom of the third with two outs, Alonso hit a solo homer to extend the lead to 3-1. The bats went quier for the next two innings until the bottom of the sixth after catcher James McCann led off with a walk and then pinch-hitter Kevin Pillar moved McCann over to second with a grounder. CF Brandon Nimmo struck out and Lindor was intentioanlly walked, but the pinch-hitter Billy McKinney came up and delivered a key pinch-hit RBI single to bring home an important insurance run. RHP Tylor Megill started out strong with a 1-2-3 top of the first inning and worked around two walks in the top of the second inning. Megill gave up his first hit on a single to SS Kevin Newman in the top of the third and then another single to the following hitter third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to make it first and third. Megill then gave up a RBI single to CF Bryan Reynolds, but didn't allow any more runs in the inning. Megill had a scoreless top of the fourth inning, but ran into more trouble in the top of the fifth after he walked CF Jared Olivia and gave up a single to Wilmer Difo and was then taken out. His final line was 3.2 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 3 walks and 7 strikeouts. He has done well in his first few starts, but has had trouble going deeper into games. He needs to works on his efficiency and keeping his pitch count down. RHP Jeuys Familia had to come in and retired Newman to end the inning. Familia picked up his fourth win. RHP Seth Lugo followed with a scorless top of the fifth inning. Lugo came back out for the top of the sixth and gave up a solo homer to catcher Jacob Stallings, but didn't allow any more runs in the inning. RHP Edwin Diaz came on in the top of the seventh and had a dominant 1-2-3 inning striking out the side on 10 pitches due to sharp command of his slider. He picked up his 19th save. The Mets next game is their final game of the first half of the season tomorrow afternoon against the Pirates at 1:10 p.m.