June 9 – A pair of winning teams meet this weekend when the New York Mets visit the Pittsburgh Pirates.
New York has lost a season-high six straight games after being swept at Atlanta, including a 13-10 loss in 10 innings on Thursday.
New York led 9-2 on Thursday, including Brandon Nimmo’s first career grand slam, but couldn’t hold on. According to SNY, it marks the first time in club history that the Mets have lost three straight games after leading by at least three in each.
“There are a lot of opportunities to close the tent, and these guys are not going to do that,” New York manager Buck Showalter said.
Pittsburgh seemed to have recaptured the swagger and winning ways it had in April during the last days of May and the first days of June.
Then came a series against the worst team in baseball, Oakland. The Pirates had to battle Monday to win the series opener 5-4 for their sixth straight victory.
The bottom fell out when the Athletics won the last two games, 11-2 and 9-5.
“We continue to play hard,” Pirates second baseman Rodolfo Castro said. “And (disappointing results are) part of baseball. We go out every day and do our best. Oakland played good baseball.”
It’s unclear if the Mets will have slugger Pete Alonso. He left Wednesday’s game after taking a shot to the left wrist; he did not play on Thursday.
While Showalter said initial X-rays didn’t show any disruption, the team sent Alonso back to New York for an MRI and more tests.
In the series opener on Friday, New York right-hander Tylor Megill (5-3, 4.40 ERA) is scheduled to start against Pittsburgh left-hander Rich Hill (5-5, 4.41 ERA).
On Saturday, Megill allowed one run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings against Toronto and didn’t earn a decision due to lack of run support in a 2-1 loss.
“He had a lot of counts that got away from him a little bit and made him increase his pitch,” Showalter said, but added that Megill was “outstanding.”
That was at home, where Megill has been sharp. On the road, she is 2-2 with a 6.08 ERA in six starts. Against Pittsburgh, Megill is 0-0 with a 0.93 ERA in two career starts of hers.
Hill is coming off his best game as a Pirate. He allowed one run in a season-high 6 2/3 innings Sunday and earned the win in a 2-1 game against St. Louis.
“He came out and threw pitches,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “He kept them off balance all day.”
Against the Mets, Hill is 2-2 with a 6.69 ERA in nine career games, seven starts. He hasn’t faced them since 2019, when he was with the Dodgers.
–Field level media
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