Pittsburgh– The state of play that the New York Mets had put out over the past week was frighteningly bad and led to a general state of panic among the fan base. Owner Steve Cohen had largely stayed above the fray but gave an extensive interview to Joel Sherman of the New York Post where he preached patience, noting that his business experience pointed to not overreacting and making rash moves. Patience won the day as the Mets finally got a good effort from a starting pitcher as Kodai Senga allowed one run in seven innings to help beat the Pittsburgh Pirates (33-30) 5-1 to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Brandon Nimmo made a big impact for the Mets early, driving in the game’s first run with a single to plate Tommy Pham in the top of the third before bailing out Kodai Senga with an inning-ending leaping catch at the wall in the bottom to save multiple runs. Senga (W, 6-3) had walked three men in a row with two outs to load the bases but did give up one run in the fourth after Jeff McNeil misplayed a potential double-play ball. That would prove to be the only damage against Senga, who gave up just the one run on two hits while striking out six.
The game remained tied at one until the seventh, when Pirates’ starter Johan Oviedo gave up an infield single to Starling Marte, who then stole second on a strikeout. Pirates’ manager Derek Shelton pulled Oviedo (L, 3-5) in favor of righty Dauri Moreta, who got the second out before intentionally walking Luis Guillorme after falling behind 3-0 to get to Mark Canha. The move backfired as Canha ripped a two-run double into the gap, putting the Mets in front 3-1.
From that point on the Mets tacked on insurance runs, including a Francisco Alvarez solo homer (12) in the eighth against former Met Colin Holderman and another RBI double from Canha in the ninth. David Robertson and Adam Ottavino combined to cover the final six outs and secure the Mets’ first victory since June 1.
Player Of The Game:
Today’s Player of the Game Award goes to Mets’ starting pitcher Kodai Senga. Cohen specifically pointed to questionable starting pitching performances as a big part in the Mets’ struggles and Senga delivered a much-needed gem on the mound. Senga also put up his finest road performance of the season, a positive sign after some significant struggles away from Citi Field over the first two months of the year.
Post-Game Notes:
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Tommy Pham continued his red-hot June by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Pham is now hitting .368 (7-for-19) with three doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs this month.
Pirates’ outfielder Andrew McCutchen went 0-for-3 on the day and is still one hit away from 2,000 in his career.
Alvarez’s home run was his 12th of the season, putting him behind only Travis d’Arnaud for most home runs as a rookie catcher in a single season, an impressive feat since Alvarez has required just 43 games to reach that total.
What’s Next:
The Mets will look to end their road trip on a positive note by securing a series victory against the Pirates tomorrow afternoon. RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 5.94 ERA) will face off with RHP Mitch Keller (7-2, 3.60 ERA) in the pitching matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 1:40 p.m. at PNC Park.
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