Mets Offense Falls Flat in 4-0 Shutout to Pirates

After defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates (14-29) in the first two games of the series, the Mets (28-15) were on the hunt for a sweep Wednesday night and their fourth win in a row. Pittsburgh sent left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter (2-3, 4.36 ERA) to the mound against the Mets’ ace and former Pirate right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes (5-1, 2.74 ERA).

The Mets struggled to get anything going on Wednesday as the Pirates shut them out 4-0 to avoid being swept.

With one on in the top of the second, the Pirates struck first on a two-run home run by Holmes’ former teammate Isiah Kiner-Falefa that gave Pittsburgh the early 2-0 lead.

The Pirates extended that lead in the fifth on a second two-run home run given up by Holmes, this time to Jared Triolo that scored Ji Hwan Bae to make it 4-0 Pittsburgh.

The Mets went to their bullpen in the seventh inning. It was Genesis Cabrera who came in to relieve Holmes on the mound. Holmes wasn’t as sharp as he had been in his previous outings. He gave up four earned runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out two in six innings. He threw 90 pitches (60 for strikes).

The Mets moved players around in the eighth. After coming in to pinch-hit in the bottom of the seventh, both Jeff McNeil (pinch-hit for Jose Azocar) and Brett Baty (pinch-hit for Tyrone Taylor) remained in the game. McNeil went to right field and Baty went to second base. With Baty going to second, Luisangel Acuña moved to center field for his first major league appearance in at that position.

Offensively, the Mets struggled to get anything going. Mark Vientos, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, Luis Torrens, and Jeff McNeil each had hits, but the Mets were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left a total of eight runners on base. They were shut out for the second time this season.

STAT OF THE GAME

Wednesday’s stat of the game is Acuña making his first appearance in center field. Acuna did see time in the outfield in the minor leagues and the Mets had said they may experiment with him in the outfield.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Wednesday’s player of the game is Cabrera, who came in and threw two scoreless innings of relief. He gave up just two hits, one walk, and struck out four over the course of 35 pitches (22 for strikes). His ERA improves to 1.80.

ON DECK

After an off-day on Thursday, the Mets will take a train ride down the subway to Yankee Stadium for the highly-anticipated Subway Series, which features the return of Soto to the Bronx.

The projected pitchers for this weekend’s Subway Series are as follows:

• Game 1: Tylor Megill (3-3, 3.10 ERA) vs Carlos Rodon (4-3, 3.29 ERA)
• Game 2: Griffin Canning (5-1, 2.36 ERA) vs Clark Schmidt (1-1, 4.73 ERA)
• Game 3: David Peterson (2-2, 3.05 ERA) vs Max Fried (6-0, 1.11 ERA)

Juan Soto vs Aaron Judge. It all begins Friday night with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

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