Mets Beat Pirates 5-1 Led By Escobar and Bassitt

Mets 3B Eduardo Escobar (Photo Credits to John Jones-USA Today Sports)

 The New York Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 tonight at Citi Field for their third consecutive win and improved their record to 92-55.

After a scoreless bottom of the first, 1B Pete Alonso doubled to lead off the bottom of the second and three batters later, DH Daniel Vogelbach walked.

3B Eduardo Escobar came up next and continued his torrid September with a three-run homer.

Escobar has hit six homers in his last 15 games and hitting nearly .400 in September.

The bats did not do much for the next three innings, but in the bottom of the sixth, RF Tyler Naquin led off with a single and then two batters later, DH Mark Vientos walked.

Escobar followed with a walk to load the bases and then CF Brandon Nimmo came up next and drew a walk to bring in another run.

In the bottom of the eighth, Escobar led off with a single and two batters later, Nimmo drew another walk 

Later in the inning, catcher James McCann was hit by a pitch to load the bases and then 1B Pete Alonso drew a based loaded walk of his own to bring in another run.

RHP Chris Bassitt had another stellar start with six scoreless innings. 

He gave up three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts to set a career-high in strikeouts with 163,

Bassitt has completed six innings or more in 22 out of 28 starts.

He picked up his 14th win and lowered his ERA to 3.32.

LHP David Peterson followed and dominated in the top of the seventh and eighth innings retiring the first six hitters he faced with three strikeouts.

Peterson came back out for the top of the ninth and gave up a lead-off homer to 2B Rodolfo Castro.

Peterson retired the next hitter he faced and was then taken out.

RHP Adam Ottavino came in next and retired the next two hitters he faced to close it out.

The Mets next game is tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, September 18 at home against the Pirates at 1:40 p.m.