Mets takeaways from Friday's 14-7 loss to Pirates, including costly defensive mistakes early
The Mets lost their seventh straight game on Friday night in the first game of a three-game set with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Here are the takeaways...
- Tylor Megill took the ball for New York looking to put an end to the team’s losing streak. His outing started off well with a scoreless first inning, but it quickly fell apart after that.
In the second, with two on and two out, the Pirates converted on a double steal attempt that put both baserunners in scoring position. That proved to be costly as Austin Hedges, the No. 9 hitter, hit a ground-rule double down the right-field line that brought in two runs for Pittsburgh. Starling Marte appeared to have a beat on it, but pulled up towards the end and allowed the ball to drop in fair territory.
- The wheels completely fell off in the third inning, though. After Andrew McCutchen hit an infield single with one out, Megill looked like he would be able to get out of further trouble by getting Carlos Santana to ground one toward second base where Francisco Lindor was positioned perfectly for the easy 6-3 double play. However, Lindor booted the ball and everybody was safe.
A walk loaded the bases (without the ball leaving the infield) before Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in two with a single. With runners on the corners, Ji Hwan Bae then bunted a ball down the third-base line that Eduardo Escobar handled but made an errant throw to first base. The error allowed two more runs to score and put Bae at third base. The Pirates would score another run in the frame to make it five in the inning and seven for the game.
- Just looking to give the Mets some length, Megill went out for a fourth inning and retired the first two batters before walking McCutchen and giving up a single to Santana that ended his night. In his place, Zach Muckenhirn who was just recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, allowed back-to-back RBI doubles that closed the book on Megill’s night.
The righty went 3.2 innings and gave up nine runs (seven earned) on eight hits and three walks. His season ERA now sits at 5.14.
Down 10-2 after four innings, Muckenhirn stayed in for mop-up duty and pitched 2.1 innings of relief, allowing three earned runs on six hits and a walk.
- A night after giving up the walk-off home run to Ozzie Albies and the Atlanta Braves, Tommy Hunter came on in relief again and after a scoreless seventh inning, the right-hander served up back-to-back jacks to Santana and Jack Suwinski that made it 14-2.
- Over their last two games, the Mets have allowed 27 runs and 36 hits.
- Offensively, Mark Vientos gave New York a brief 1-0 lead with a single in the second inning and Lindor tied it at 2 with a solo shot in the third before his fielding error led to five runs.
The Mets had a five-run inning of their own in the ninth, but it was too little, too late as they dropped their seventh straight game in a laugher.
Highlights
What's next
The Mets and Pirates continue their series at PNC Park on Saturday afternoon starting at 4:05 p.m. on SNY.
RHP Kodai Senga (5-3, 3.75 ERA) will take on RHP Johan Oviedo (3-4, 4.29 ERA).
