Mets Beat Pirates 5-2 With Strong Bullpen

 

Mets Outfielders Tyrone Taylor, Harrison Bader and Brandon Nimmo (Photo Credits to Phillip G. Pavely-USA Today Sports)

The New York Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 at PNC Park this afternoon to snap their three-game losing streak and improved their record to 43-44.

The Met offense wasted scoring opportunities in the top of the first and second, but then broke through in the top of the third.

SS Francisco Lindor led off with a walk and LF Brandon Nimmo followed with a double.

DH J.D. Martinez walked to load the bases and 1B Pete Alonso and 3B Mark Vientos struck out.

Catcher Luis Torrens came up next and delivered with a bases clearing double to score Lindor, Nimmo and Martinez.

In the top of the sixth, Vientos led off with a single and then Torrens followed with a single.

Two batters later, 3B Jose Iglesias drove in Vientos with a RBI double and CF Harrison Bader drove in Torrens with a sacrifice fly.

LHP David Peterson started out well with three scoreless innings and then gave up a two-run homer to SS Onell Cruz in the bottom of the fourth and was taken out in the middle of the inning.

His final line was 4.1 innings, five hits, two runs, two walks and five strikeouts.

RHP Jose Butto followed with 1.2 scoreless innings.

He gave up no hits and walks with one strikeout.

Butto picked up his third win.

RHP Reed Garrett came in next in the bottom of the seventh and was able to escape out of a bases loaded jam by getting a lineout and then striking out pinch-hitter Jack Suwinski on a close pitch.

RHP Dedniel Nunez then threw a scoreless bottom of the eighth.

RHP Edwin Diaz came on in the bottom after a 10-game suspension and had a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout to pick up his eighth save.

The Mets next game is tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, July 7 at the Pirates at 1:35 p.m.