OJTB: Pirates hold off Mets to win 5-2

Bartolo Colon

Coming off a 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, the Mets looked to earn a series split on Sunday afternoon. Instead, poor clutch hitting and a rare ineffective start by RHP Bartolo Colon doomed New York (37-45) in a 5-2 loss at Pittsburgh (42-40).

The Mets were blanked through eight innings despite collecting nine hits, including at least one knock in each of the first seven innings. New York made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate, but it was too little, too late.

RHP Edinson Volquez escaped several jams over six innings of work for Pittsburgh. He worked around a first and third situation with one out in the third inning by striking out 2B Daniel Murphy and getting RF Curtis Granderson to fly out to right field. One inning later, Volquez (6-6; 4.07 ERA) stranded 1B Lucas Duda at third base by striking out CF Juan Lagares and Colon. Volquez’s afternoon culminated when C Travis d’Arnaud grounded into a 6-4-3 double play with runners at first and second to end the sixth.

The Mets’ batters didn’t fare much better in the clutch against LHP Justin Wilson in the seventh inning. LF Eric Young Jr. reached third base with only one out in the frame, but LHP Justin Wilson escaped trouble unscathed with a strikeout and an infield liner.

Colon (8-6; 3.88 ERA) struggled over six innings for the Mets. Colon, who hadn’t surrendered more than three earned runs in any of his previous seven starts, allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings.

The Pirates jumped ahead, 3-0, in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, CF Starling Marte singled, 2B Neil Walker doubled to right field, and 1B Ike Davis lined a two-run single to left field. Davis’ hit was his first in 15 at-bats against his former team this season. SS Ruben Tejada recorded the inning’s second out with a nice diving stop and a throw to second, but 3B Pedro Alvarez drove home another run with a double into the right field corner.

Pittsburgh upped its edge to 5-0 in the fourth inning. LF Josh Harrison commenced the frame with a double, which bounced off Granderson’s glove in the right-centerfield gap. Alvarez then launched a two-run homerun into the right-field bleachers.

New York finally scored in the ninth inning. Against RHP Jared Hughes, Lagares singled, d’Arnaud doubled, and LF Chris Young brought home Lagares with a grounder to deep short. Tejada drove home d’Arnaud with a two-out single, but RHP Mark Melancon got Granderson, who went 0-17 in the series, to fly to right field to end the game.

Notes:

1) 3B David Wright will have his left shoulder reexamined on Monday. An MRI on Saturday revealed no structural damage, and the Mets hope Wright can avoid a stint on the disabled list.

The Mets will now travel to Atlanta for a three-game series against the Braves (44-38). RHP Zack Wheeler (3-8; 4.45 ERA) is scheduled to face Braves’ LHP Mike Minor (2-5; 4.50 ERA) in Monday’s opener.