Mets Sweep Pirates 7-3 With Four Run Eighth Inning

Mets CF Brandon Nimmo (Photo Credits to Gregory Fisher-USA Today Sports)

The New York Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-3 this afternoon to sweep their four-game series and improved their record to 93-55.

The offense got on the board immediately in the bottom of the first after CF Brandon Nimmo led off with an infield hit and then advanced to second on a throwing error by 2B Rodolfo Castro.

Two batters later, RF Jeff McNeil came through with a RBI single.

In the bottom of the second, 2B Luis Guillorme led off with a single and then catcher Tomas Nido and Nimmo singled to load the bases.

SS Francisco Lindor followed with a strikeout, but then McNeil drew a based loaded walk to bring in his second RBI of the game and 1B Pete Alonso followed with a RBI ground-out to bring in second run of the inning.

The bats did not much for the next four innings, but came alive again in the bottom of the eighth.

Nido led off with a single and was taken out for pinch-runner Terrence Gore.

Gore took advantage of his electric speed right away stealing second and then took third on a throwing error.

Nimmo followed with a go-ahead RBI single.

Two batters later, McNeil walked and then Alonso also walked to load the bases.

DH Daniel Vogelbach came up next and broke the game open with a two-run single.

Later in the inning, 3B Eduardo Escobar drove in a run on a RBI ground-out.

RHP Jacob deGrom dominated through the first five innings with 13 strikeouts, but ran into trouble in the top of the sixth.

deGrom gave up singles to 1B Zack Collins and catcher Jason Delay and then a three-run homer to SS Oneil Cruz and was taken out.

His final line was five innings, four hits, three runs, 0 walks and 13 strikeouts.

deGrom set a Major League record for 40 consecutive starts allowing three runs or less.

RHP Seth Lugo came in next and threw a scoreless top of the sixth.

LHP Joely Rodriguez followed with two dominating innings in the top of the seventh and eighth with five strikeouts.

Rodriguez picked up his first win on the season.

RHP Trevor May closed it out with a scoreless top of the ninth.

The Mets next game is tomorrow night, Monday, September 19 at the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:40 p.m.