Field Level Media
Jun 25, 2018
Starling Marte scored three runs and stole two bases Monday night as the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates raced out to a big lead before hanging on for a 6-4 win over the New York Mets in a battle of struggling teams at Citi Field.
The Pirates snapped a five-game losing streak. The Mets have lost seven straight and are 4-18 this month.
Marte had just one hit in four at-bats but also drew a walk and reached on an error. The three runs were the second-most Marte has scored in a single game this season, while the two thefts tied a season-high.
The Pirates never relinquished the lead they took in the first, when Marte led off by reaching on an error by Mets third baseman Luis Guillorme before stealing second, taking third on Josh Bell's groundout and scoring on Josh Harrison's sacrifice fly.
Gregory Polanco homered in the second, and the Pirates went ahead 3-0 in the third, when Harrison took second base on Guillorme's two-out throwing error and scored on Elias Diaz's single.
In the sixth, Marte drew a two-out walk, stole second and scored on Bell's two-run homer.
Jameson Taillon (5-6) earned the win after allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five over six-plus innings.
Taillon carried a two-hitter into the seventh, when the Mets rallied for four runs. Jose Reyes hit a leadoff double and Kevin Plawecki chased Taillon by scoring Reyes with another double.
Tyler Glasnow walked Guillorme and served up a three-run homer to pinch hitter Wilmer Flores. Steven Brault entered and walked Michael Conforto before striking out Jose Bautista and inducing Asdrubal Cabrera to hit into a double play.
The Mets threatened against Kyle Crick in the eighth when, with one out, Devin Mesoraco walked and Reyes singled. But Crick struck out Plawecki and retired Guillorme on a grounder to third.
Marte helped build an insurance run in the ninth, when he delivered a leadoff single, went to second on Bell's walk, took third on Harrison's single and scored on Diaz's sacrifice fly.
Felipe Vazquez earned his 15th save with a perfect ninth, striking out the side.
Mets starter Seth Lugo (2-3) took the loss after allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out four over five innings.
Reyes had two hits.
--Field Level Media