Offense Responds, Mets Top Pirates

The post Dave Hudgens era began on Tuesday, and the offense responded. The Mets got some timely hits, which they haven’t really done lately, as they beat the Pirates.

The Mets grabbed the lead in the third. Daniel Murphy doubled, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a Bobby Abreu single.

They added another run in the fourth on doubles by Ruben Tejada and Juan Lagares to make it a 2-0 game.

Jonathon Niese was cruising until the sixth inning, when he walked the bases loaded with two outs. Starling Marte singled to center to plate two runs to tie the game at two. That was all for Niese, who gave way to Vic Black for his season debut. With runners on first and second Black walked Neil Walker to load the bases. Ike Davis pinch hit, and Black struck him out to keep the game tied.

Niese went 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out two but walked four, and that was his undoing.

The Mets regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Tejada walked and eventually landed on third via two wild pitches by Jeanmar Gomez. He scored when Lagares singled. Lagares came all the way around on first on a Daniel Murphy double to give the Mets a 4-2 lead.

Black worked his way out of a first and third jam in the seventh, striking out Mets killer Gaby Sanchez to end the inning.

Closer Jenrry Mejia came on for the eighth for an old-fashioned two-inning save attempt. With one out he allowed a walk and a single to put runners on first and third. But Mejia induced Pedro Alvarez to hit into a double play to end the threat.

Travis Snider reached on an error by Eric Campbell to lead off the ninth against Mejia. Josh Harrison lined out to left for the first out. Jose Tabata then hit a shot down the right field line. Curtis Granderson took off and just caught it near the foul line for the second out. Andrew McCutchen walked. Then it was Sanchez. He grounded out to short to end the game.

Mets get a good win, 4-2.