Mets Lost to Pirates 6-5 After Blowing Five Run Lead

Mets RHP Edwin Diaz (Photo Credits to AP) The New York Mets lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-5 this afternoon at Citi Field to split their four-game series and dropped their record to 47-40. LHP Aaron Loup got the start as an "opener" and threw two scoreless innings. RHP Jered Eckoff came in next and started out well with scoreless innings in the top of the third and fourth innings. Eckoff ran into trouble in the top of the fifth after he gave up back-to-back homers to 3B Rodolfo Castro and catcher Michael Perez. Eckoff was taken out later in inning the with two on and two men out. RHP Jeurys Familia came on and was able to get out of the inning Familia stayed in for the top of the sixth and retired the first two hitters he faced and then gave up a solo homer to Castro, his second homer of the day and third homer of the series. RHP Miguel Castro followed in the top of the seventh and threw a scoreless inning. Castro came back out for the top of the eighth after gettig the first out, he walked LF Ben Gamel and then gave up a single to RF Wilmer Difo and was taken out. RHP Edwin Diaz came on and walked Rodolfo Castro to load the bases with one out, but came back to strike out pinch-hitter Ke'Bryan Hayes and Perez to end the inning. Diaz was able to get two outs in the top of the ninth with a runner on third, but wasn't able to close it out after he gave up a RBI single to 1B John Nogowski to tie the game and then two batters later, a RBI single to Difo which brought in the go-ahead run. The offense did all of its damage in the bottom of the first after CF Brandon Nimmo led off with a double and SS Francisco Lindor followed with a two-run homer. LF Dom Smith and 2B Jeff McNeil walked and then RF Michael Comforto came up and delivered a three-run homer for the last runs of the game they would score. The Mets are off this week for the All-Star break and return to action on Friday in Pittsburgh at PNC Park at the Pirates at 7:05 p.m.