Pirates at Mets
The Pittsburgh Pirates are failing on both sides of the ball as they slip toward .500. The New York Mets were struggling on offense before breaking out in an 11-2 win over the Pirates on Wednesday and will try to earn a series win when they host the rubber match of the three-game series on Thursday.
Pittsburgh took the series opener 4-0 on Tuesday behind a brilliant start from rookie Jameson Taillon before suffering their sixth loss in seven games and falling to 33-32 with Wednesday’s thrashing. The Pirates were hoping Jeff Locke could step up with Gerrit Cole heading to the disabled list but he instead was rocked for seven runs in four innings on Wednesday, making it 18 earned runs allowed in 8 2/3 innings over his last two outings. The Mets’ total of 11 runs on Wednesday was exactly half of their total from the previous nine contests as everyone in the starting lineup aside from pitcher Noah Syndergaard recorded at least one of the team’s 19 hits. The top six spots in the order combined to go 15-for-29 with 11 runs scored in the win.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Juan Nicasio (5-5, 5.34 ERA) vs. Mets RH Bartolo Colon (5-3, 3.08)
Nicasio is being bumped all over the rotation with Cole hurt and the off day on Monday allowed time for a reshuffle. The 29-year-old Dominican came on in relief in the 12th inning on Friday against St. Louis and was ripped for six runs in a single frame to suffer the loss. Nicasio made his last start against the Mets on June 7 and earned the win by allowing one run on three hits while striking out seven in five innings.
Colon is riding a hot streak over his last four starts and breezed through seven innings at Milwaukee last Thursday, scattering one run and eight hits to earn the win. The hefty veteran surrendered a combined five earned runs in 25 innings over his last four turns and issued only four walks in that span. Colon did not make a start in the series at Pittsburgh last week but held the Pirates to one run in seven innings in his lone start against them last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates LF Starling Marte left Wednesday’s game after getting hit in the face with a hop in the outfield and is day-to-day.
2. Mets RF Curtis Granderson has hit safely in six straight games and recorded only two strikeouts in that span.
3. New York 2B Neil Walker (lower back) underwent an MRI on Wednesday and has missed the last three games.