Pittsburgh Pirates Swept in Four-Game Series By the New York Mets

After sweeping a four-game series in Cincinnati to start their road trip, the Pittsburgh Pirates were swept in a four-game series against the New York Mets

When the Pittsburgh Pirates arrived in New York to kick off their four-game series against the Mets, the team was riding a wave of momentum. The Pirates were coming off of a four-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. Additionally, the Mets had just been swept by the Chicago Cubs.

Well, the two team’s flipped their momentum in the series. After losing to the Mets 7-3 on Sunday afternoon, the Pirate fell to 55-92 on the season. This loss capped off a series sweep for the Mets who remain one game ahead of the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

Early control issues sink Johan Oviedo

Johan Oviedo started for the Pirates. Early in the start, he was battling with control which led to he and the Pirates finding themselves in a 3-0 hole after the first 2 innings of play.

A pair of singles, a walk and a hit batter got Oviedo into trouble in the 1st inning. In the 2nd inning, he allowed 2 more runs as he walked a pair and allowed two base hits. One of his two 2nd inning runs came when he issued a bases loaded walk.

Oviedo would go on to finish his start strong. He stuck out all three batters he faced in the 3rd inning, and picked up a strikeout while working around a pair of base runners in the 4th inning. All told, Oviedo allowed 3 runs on five hits, four walks, and six strikeouts in 4 innings pitched.

Oneil Cruz provides the only Pirate offense

The Pittsburgh PIrates did not muster much offensively on Sunday afternoon. Oneil Cruz was the only Pirate hitter who collected multi-hits in the loss. Cruz also recorded two of the team’s three extra base hits.

Cruz doubled to start the game, but was stranded on base. In the 6th inning Cruz launched a 3-run home run off of Jacob deGrom. Cruz’s 17th home run of the season accounted for the only 3 Pirate runs of the day, tied the game, and ended deGrom’s day after he had struck out 13 batters.

Pirate batters were held to just five hits on Sunday afternoon. They failed to draw a walk and struck out 20 times, added to their single season franchise record for strikeouts that they set in Saturday night’s loss. In no world should hitting coach Andy Haines be retained this offseason.

Mets blow the game open in the 8th

Entering the bottom of the 8th inning the game was tied at 3. When the dust settled on a busy bottom of the 8th inning, the game was no longer tied. The Mets put up a 4 spot in the inning on their way to victory.

Robert Stephenson, who pitched a scoreless 7th inning, allowed a base hit to start the inning and was pulled for Manny Bañuelos. Terrance Gore, who was pinch running for the Mets, stole second base and went to third on a throwing error by Jason Delay. Brandon Nimmo then blooped a single into shallow left field to score Gore and give the Mets a 4-3 lead.

After a strikeout and a walk, Bañuelos was lifted for Duane Underwood Jr. who issued a walk to load the bases with just one out. Ex-Pirate Daniel Vogelbach, who was the team’s second best hitter before being traded for a 26-year-old relief pitcher with an ERA over 7.00 as a Pirate, ripped a 2-run single off of Underwood Jr. A groundout by Eduardo Escobar, which came after an error by Cruz that kept the inning alive, brought in another run, setting the final at 7-3.

Following a day off on Monday, the Pittsburgh PIrates will return to action against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. Luis Ortiz is slated to make his second career start for the Pirates, while the Yankees plan to send Nestor Cortes (2.70 ERA, 3.29 FIP) to the found. First pitch from Yankee Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 PM ET.