Pittsburgh Pirates Win Wild Series Opener Against The New York Mets

The Pittsburgh Pirates earned a wild victory on Friday night

Friday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets was a wild one. It started out as a back-and-forth game with both starting pitchers struggling. However, in the end, it wound up a comfortable Pirate victory.

With the win, the Pittsburgh Pirates are now 25-30 on the season. They also start their current 5 game road trip with a victory. It also makes them 2-2 this season against the New York Mets.

In the top of the 1st inning, the Pittsburgh Pirates would take an early lead.

Adam Frazier walked, Josh Harrison singled, and Gregory Polanco walked. This loaded the bases with no one out. David Freese then reached on a fielder’s choice making it 1-0 Pirates.

After this, however, Mets’ starting pitcher Matt Harvey would close the door. The Bucs had men on the corners with just 1 out, but Harvey would strikeout Josh Bell and then Andrew McCutchen to end the Pirate threat.

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The Pirates were able to make Harvey throw 34 first inning pitches, though.

The Mets would take their first lead in the bottom of the 2nd. After Gerrit Cole walked Neil Walker to start the inning, Lucas Duda cranked his 9th home run of the season to make it 2-1 New York.

The Pittsburgh Pirates would once again load the bases with no one out in the top of the 4th inning.

David Freese walked, and then Josh Bell and Andrew McCutchen would single. Jordy Mercer then popped out for this first out of the inning. After this, Elias Diaz recorded the biggest hit of his young Major League career when he hit a bases clearing 3-run double. This made it 4-2 Pirates.

Originally, Diaz was not in the starting lineup. However, Francisco Cervelli was scratched after falling ill pre-game and this opened the door for Diaz who took advantage.

Gerrit Cole came unglued in the bottom of the 5th inning. With 1-out, Michael Conforto launched his 14th home run of the season to tie the game at 4. Jay Bruce singled, Neil Walker tripled (which was greatly aided by some poor right field defense from Gregory Polanco), and Gerrit Cole uncorked a wild pitch to make ti 6-4 Mets. Lucas Duda then obliterated his second home run of the night, making it 7-4 Mets.

Friday night continued Gerrit Cole’s recent struggles. In his last 3 starts, he has allowed 8 home runs in 14 2/3 innings pitched. In 5 innings pitched on Friday, Cole allowed 7 runs on 8 hits, 3 home runs, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Something definitely seems to be plaguing Cole.

The Pittsburgh Pirates would come right back in the top of the 6th inning, and in a big way. Josh Bell hit his 10th home run of the season to start the inning, cutting the Met lead to 7-5.

Matt Harvey then walked Andrew McCutchen, leading to him being pulled. Paul Sewald took over for the Mets and allowed a single to Jordy Mercer, then a 3-run home run to Elias Diaz.

Not only was this Diaz’s first career home run, it was also the first home run Sewald has allowed at the Major League level. This made it 8-7 Pirates.

Jun 2, 2017; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Matt Harvey (33) reacts after giving up three runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /

With 1-out, Adam Frazier would single. This was followed by a RBI double by Josh Harrison to make it 9-7 Pirates. Gregory Polanco then recorded his first hit of the night and David Freese was hit by a pitch to load the bases with just 1 out.

Josh Bell then stepped to the plate for the second time in the top of the 6th inning and drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 10-7 Pirates. Terry Collins then went with Neil Ramirez. Ramirez would allow a sacrifice fly to Andrew McCutchen, making the score 11-7 Pirates.

Paul Sewald allowed 5 runs on 5 hits, a home run, a walk, and he hit a batter in 1/3 of an inning pitched on Friday night. This was, by far, the worst outing of his young Major League career and continued what has been season long bullpen problems for the Mets.

Jordy Mercer then grounded out to end the inning. The Pittsburgh Pirates entered the top of the 6th inning trailing, but 5 hits, 2 walks, a hit batter, and 7 runs later the Pirates had regained the lead.

Wade LeBlanc took over for the Pirates in the bottom of the 6th inning. Despite allowing a 1-out single to Travis d’Arnaud, LeBlanc would post a zero. Juan Nicasio would then follow suit with a scoreless bottom of the 7th inning.

After Daniel Hudson tossed a scoreless 8th inning for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Felipe Rivero did what he does in the bottom of the 9th and retired the Mets in order while recording a strikeout. This capped off a great night for the Pirate bullpen which combined to pitched 4 innings of 1 hit shutout baseball.

Next: May 26 - 31 Homestand Breakdown

Road wins are always good, come from behind road wins are even better. On top of earning a come from behind road win on Friday night, the Pirates may have also gotten Josh Bell back on track as he went 2-for-4 with a walk and his 10th home run of the season.

Game 2 of the 3 game series is scheduled for 7:15 tomorrow night. Tyler Glasnow is scheduled to start for the Pirates, while the Mets plan to go with Robert Gsellman. Saturday night’s game will be on national television on FOX.

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