With a comeback in the seventh inning and a balk to score the winning run, the Mets defeat the Pirates 3-1.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Tuesday night after Jeff McNeil added an RBI double and Jose Hernandez balked home the game-winning run in the seventh inning.
The Mets have won nine of twelve games after a 0–5 start to go over.500 for the first time since early June of last year, thanks to a game-tying double from Joey Wendle, who came off the bench.
Wendle remarked, “It feels like this team has a different player every night.”
Having lost its first two series, New York has now won four in a row after rallying to defeat the Pirates the following night.
In the top of the inning, Wendle took the place of an injured Brett Baty (left hamstring tightness) at third base.
Then, McNeil made it 3-1 with a double to left field.
In two scoreless innings, Reed Garrett (2-0) struck out six batters, relieving Jose Quintana, who gave up only a check-swing RBI single to Bryan Reynolds in five innings of four-hit ball against his old team.
“I was picked up by my team,” Quintana stated. “At the moment, we manage to obtain Ws.”
With 17 strikeouts so far this season, Garrett leads all big league relievers and wasn’t even on New York’s opening-day roster.
Quintana remarked, “Whatever he’s been doing, keep it up, bro.”
After Jorge López pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, Drew Smith recorded his first save of the season and his fourth career after striking out two in a perfect ninth. The past two days were spent pitching by Mets closer Edwin DÃaz.
