Field Level Media
Jul 27, 2018
David Freese capped a big night with a walk-off single Friday as the Pittsburgh Pirates broke a two-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the visiting New York Mets.
Freese drove in all five Pirates runs, including a two-run homer.
In the ninth tied 4-4 against Tim Peterson (2-2), the Mets' seventh pitcher, Josh Harrison had an infield single, Gregory Polanco singled and Elias Diaz was walked intentionally before Freese lofted the ball to deep right-center.
Michael Conforto hit a three-run homer for New York, which had its three-game winning streak snapped.
Asdrubal Cabrera was a late scratch from the Mets' lineup as he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for right-handed prospect Franklyn Kilome.
Pittsburgh right-hander Ivan Nova gave up four runs (three earned) and six hits in five innings, with one strikeout and three walks.
Felipe Vazquez (4-2) pitched the ninth for the win.
Mets starter Jason Vargas, who had not pitched since June 19 because of a right calf injury, allowed three runs and three hits in 4 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts and three walks.
The Mets took a 3-0 lead in the first. Brandon Nimmo drew a one-out walk, and Wilmer Flores doubled ahead of Conforto's three-run shot to right, his 14th homer.
Diaz led off the Pittsburgh second with a single, and Freese followed with his seventh homer and second in two nights, to left-center, to close it to 3-2.
After Freese's homer, Josh Bell was slow getting out of the batter's box on a groundout and left the game because of left side discomfort.
In the fifth, Jordan Luplow walked for the Pirates with one out, chasing Vargas. An out later, Polanco reached on an infield hit. Diaz walked to load the bases, and Freese singled up the middle to drive in two for a 4-3 Pirates lead.
New York tied it 4-4 in the sixth with an unearned run. With the bases loaded and one out, Jose Reyes flied out to left. Conforto scored from third when Luplow wildly overthrew home.
--Field Level Media