Mets Secure Win Over Pirates After Big Third Inning and Mlodzinski Struggles
The New York Mets defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 at PNC Park, leveraging a four-run third inning to secure the road victory. New York starter Zac Thornton threw five scoreless innings, while Pittsburgh's Carmen Mlodzinski allowed five runs in his return to the rotation.
Key takeaways
- The New York Mets utilized a four-run third inning to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 at PNC Park.
- Mets starter Zac Thornton limited the Pirates to four hits over five scoreless innings to earn his third win.
- Carmen Mlodzinski struggled in his return to the Pirates rotation, allowing five earned runs across three innings.
What Happened
The New York Mets built an early lead and withstood a late rally to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4. New York opened the scoring in the first inning when A.J. Ewing hit a leadoff double and later scored on a Carson Benge single. Following a 36-minute rain delay in the third, the Mets offense produced four runs. Francisco Lindor walked and scored on a second RBI single by Benge, followed by a three-run home run from Marcus Semien off Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski.
New York added a sixth run in the fourth inning when Ewing was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on a single by Lindor. The Pirates were held scoreless through the first five innings by Mets left-hander Zac Thornton, who allowed four hits and two walks while striking out three. Pittsburgh attempted a comeback in the ninth inning but fell two runs short, marking their fourth consecutive loss.
Background
Carmen Mlodzinski returned to the Pittsburgh starting rotation to fill a vacancy left by Mitch Keller, who is out for the remainder of the season. Mlodzinski had been pitching in the bullpen since late May. The Pirates (57-61) entered the game struggling against left-handed pitching, a trend that continued against Thornton. The victory moved the Mets to a 51-66 record for the season.
Key Facts
- The New York Mets defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 in front of 33,497 fans at PNC Park.
- Marcus Semien hit a three-run home run, his 14th of the season, during a four-run third inning.
- Zac Thornton earned the win (3-2) by pitching five scoreless innings on 63 pitches.
- Carmen Mlodzinski took the loss (6-4), giving up five runs on seven hits in three innings of work.
- A.J. Ewing recorded a leadoff double and two runs scored for the Mets.
- Francisco Lindor recorded a hit, a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI.
- The Pirates have lost four games in a row and five of their last six contests.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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