PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Jared Jones pitched into the fourth inning and gave up multiple runs in three of them as the Mets buried the Pirates sending them four games under .500 with an 11-1 loss Sunday afternoon.
Jones allowed the first four batters of the game on base (walk, hit-by-pitch, single, single) in giving up a pair of runs in the first inning. Following a 1-2-3 second inning, Jones gave up a two-run homer to Luis Robert, Junior and an RBI single to Marcus Semien after Jake Mangum misplayed a ball resulting in a Jared Young triple. Jones was pulled with the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth and Evan Sisk allowed all three of those baserunners to score on a double by Bo Bichette.
The Mets finished with 15 hits and despite struggling most of the season have only five fewer losses than the Pirates.
It also continued an embarrassing trend against left-handed starting pitching, the Pirates are 10-25 against lefties. They managed only a two-out solo home run by Mangum and totaled 4 hits while striking out 13 times, including 10 in the first five innings.
Pirates are 5-13 since the All-Star Break
Cruz & minor league notes
- In his second game of AAA rehab, Oneil Cruz started in center and went 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts
- AAA starter Hunter Barco threw 6 scoreless, 1-hit innings with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts lowering his ERA to 4.12
- AAA bullpen of Brandon Eisert, Isaac Mattson and Justin Meis combined to throw three perfect innings of relief
- AA CF Will Taylor had his 15th double, 36th RBI, 21st stolen base
Up Next
An off day in Miami for the Pirates on Monday before opening a critical series against the Marlins who are 1.5 games ahead of them at the start of the day Sunday in the NL Wild Card race. Paul Skenes starts with Dan Zangrilli hosting the North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show at 5:45 and first pitch at 6:40 on 93.7 The Fan.
Best news for the Pirates, the Marlins are starting three right-handers.
New York takes 2 of 3 in brief homestand
New York takes 2 of 3 in brief homestand
