Pittsburgh Pirates: Mets Down Bucs With Timely Hitting
By Larry Snyder
May 27, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22) makes a diving catch of a ball hit by New York Mets center fielder Juan Lagares (not pictured) during the third inning of a game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Pirates lost just their second game in seven tries on Tuesday night when the Mets defeated the Bucs 4-2 at Citi Field in New York.
Clint Hurdle‘s crew could not come through with the big hit with runners on base. They finished the night 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position, leaving 11 men on base.
Pittsburgh did get to Mets’ lefthander Jon Niese as he gave up two earned runs on three hits and struck out just two over 5 2/3 innings. After he walked the bases loaded in the sixth, the Bucs’ Starling Marte sent him to the showers with a two out, two-run single to tie the contest up.
Former Pirate righthander Vic Black answered the call to the bullpen and got the win by striking out two over 1 1/3 innings while righty Jenrry Mejia picked up his fourth save by keeping the Bucs off the scoreboard over the last two innings.
Meanwhile, the Pirates’ Edinson Volquez allowed two earned runs on four hits while striking out six in five innings of work. He fell behind on the scoreboard when Bobby Abreau’s two-out single in the third scored Daniel Murphy to give the Mets an early 1-0 lead.
Then, one inning later, it was Juan Lagares‘ line drive double to left that brought Ruben Tejada across the plate. Volquez has now gone winless in his last eight road starts dating back to last season.
New York made its comeback when Bucs’ righty Jeanmar Gomez took the hill in the sixth and got only one out while surrendering two earned runs on back to back RBI hits to Lagares and Murphy to break the 2-2 tie.
Defense took center stage when the Mets’ Lagares robbed Andrew McCutchen of extra bases with a leaping catch on a fly ball at the 390-foot sign in right-center to end the first inning. In the third, it was McCutchen’s time to pay Lagares back with a outstretched diving stab on a shot to center.
In the top of the eighth, Tejada started a double play that helped Mejia stay ouf of trouble. Finally, in the ninth, Curtis Granderson came up with a fine running catch of Jose Tabata‘s fly ball to right field.
The final game of the three-game series with the Mets will be at 1:10 p.m. on Wednesday. New York will send righthander Bartolo Colon (3-5, 5.34 ERA) to the mound while the Pirates will counter with Charlie Morton (1-6, 3.76 ERA).
The 30-year-old righthander will be making his 11th start of the season on Wednesday afternoon. He has posted a 2.03 ERA in last four starts. The game will be broadcast by ROOT Sports Pittsburgh.