Pirates 14, Mets 2 (PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA)
Mets Record: 42-44
Mets Streak: L3
Mets Last 10: 5-5
WP: Paul Skenes (5-0)
LP: Luis Severino (5-3)
Seat On The Korner:
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
A number of Pirates' hitters could have easily gotten the call to the Korner, but the seat belongs to Pirates' center fielder Bryan Reynolds. Pittsburgh saw Reynolds went 4-for-5 with two home runs, six RBI and three runs scored to lead the Pirates' attack in multiple categories.
Need To Know
This was the final game in Edwin Diaz's suspension for sticky substances. The Mets went just 5-5 without their closer.
Paul Skenes picked up his fifth win for the Pirates and tied a franchise record for the Bucs by racking up his seventh consecutive start with at least seven strikeouts.
Jeff McNeil had the best handle on Skenes, launching a solo homer in the third and hammering two hard hit outs.
The Pirates' 14-run outburst is the most the Mets have allowed in a game this year.
The Pirates tied a franchise record by launching seven home runs in this game, including two a piece from Reynolds and Rowdy Tellez, who put the capper on this game with a grand slam in the eighth off of Ty Adcock.
This game marked the fifth time in franchise history that the Mets have allowed seven home runs in a game.
All 14 runs the Pirates scored came via the home run.
With the game well out of reach, Mets' manager Carlos Mendoza asked backup catcher Luis Torrens to finish out the eighth inning. Torrens retired the only batter he faced.
This is the Mets' first three-game losing streak since getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in late May that precipitated the season-swinging team meeting.
Turning Point
The game was still close in the bottom of the seventh, with the Mets down 4-2 and getting Skenes out of the game, but Severino loaded the bases before getting pulled for the struggling Jake Diekman. Reynolds changed things quickly, launching a grand slam to put Pittsburgh up 8-2 and essentially end the game right there.
Three Things
The Bats Are Cooling Off
The Mets' offense was scorching hot in June, averaging over 6.5 runs per game to help them climb back into the wild card race as they battered opposing pitching staffs with ease. While everyone being hot was nice, the lineup is all cooling off at the same time as the Mets have scored just two runs in their last 22 innings. The bats will need to heat back up in order to take advantage of what should be a soft spot in their schedule.
We Need To Have A Conversation About Jake Diekman
The Mets' bullpen has been ravaged by injuries and underwhelming performances, with veteran lefty Jake Diekman fitting into the latter category. Diekman was ineffective once again, failing to retire any of the three batters he faced, giving up the game-breaking grand slam to Reynolds and walking another batter before being pulled for Adcock. The Mets have seen Diekman pitch to a 5.06 ERA and walk 22 batters in 26.2 innings pitched, which is not good enough for the bullpen's only lefty. Diekman, who has already appeared in 37 games this season, has a 2025 option for $4 million that automatically vests if he reaches 58 appearances. If things don't turn around for Diekman soon don't be shocked if the Mets move on before that option vests.
Luis Severino May Be Hitting A Wall
One of the big positives for the Mets' pitching staff in the early going has been Luis Severino's performance as he has been the team's most reliable starter. Severino has now pitched 103.1 innings, his most since 2018, and his performance has begun to regress. Over his past 10 starts, Severino has worked to a 4.41 ERA (as opposed to a 2.93 ERA over his first seven) while giving up 10 home runs (compared to 2 over his first seven). If the Mets can't get Severino pitching closer to his April form their chances of sustaining their hot June get much dimmer.
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