Mets Lose to Pirates in 11

The Mets and Pirates went to extra innings Friday night. And after escaping a seemingly impossible situation in the 10th, the Mets lost it in 11.

The teams traded zeros for the first three innings, then they traded two runs each in the fourth. Ruben Tejada led off the inning with a single off of Brandon Cumpton. Daniel Murphy doubled to move Tejada to third. They both scored when Lucas Duda singled to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.

Andrew McCutchen led off the bottom of the inning with a single. With one out Russell Martin reached on an infield hit. With two outs a walk loaded the bases and then Jordy Mercer singled to plate two runs to tie the game at two.

The Mets blew a chance in the fifth. Two singles put runners on first and second with no outs. But Jacob deGrom’s sacrifice attempt did not work and the runner was thrown out at third. Two more outs ended the inning.

Terry Collins pulled deGrom with a runner on second and two outs in the seventh. Josh Edgin came on to retire the side.

So deGrom went 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked three. Cumpton was pinch hit for in the seventh after allowing two runs on six hits. This was the second matchup this season of the rookie starters. Just like in their first matchup, neither pitcher figured in the decision.

The Mets got a runner to third with two outs in the ninth but pinch hitter Bobby Abreu grounded out to end the inning.

So it was on to extra innings. Josh Harrison led off the 10th with a single off Jenrry Mejia. He stole second on a play that was confirmed on replay. Gregory Polanco hit a comebacker. Harrison was caught in a rundown which the Mets somehow botched, leaving runners on second and third. Terry Collins argued that Harrison ran out of the basepath, which he blatantly did. But the umpires amazingly did not see it that way. Mejia, though, rose to the occasion. He struck out Travis Snider for the first out. After intentionally walking McCutchen to load the bases, he struck out Neil Walker for the second out and got Martin on a fly out to end the threat.

Former Pirate farmhand Vic Black took the mound for the Mets for the 11th. He walked Clint Barmes with one out and with two outs Harrison doubled to right to drive in Barmes to win the game.

Mets lose 3-2 in 11, their third loss in a row.