One timely hit Tuesday night provided further evidence that Brett Baty may be back in the majors for good. It also confirmed there is no shortage of players who have contributed to the New York Mets’ fast start.
For the Pittsburgh Pirates, repeated failures to get one timely hit served to deepen the frustrations they’ve experienced all season.
The Mets will look to complete a series sweep on Wednesday night when they host the Pirates in the finale of a three-game set.
Right-hander Clay Holmes (5-1, 2.74 ERA) is slated to start for the Mets against Pirates left-hander Bailey Falter (2-3, 4.36).
Baty hit the tie-breaking homer in the seventh inning in the Mets’ 2-1 win on Tuesday.
The National League East-leading Mets have won six of their last eight games since May 5 — the same day Baty was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse. Baty, who opened the season as a backup infielder for New York, has four homers in five games since his return after going deep just once in 19 games before his demotion.
Baty is far from the only surprise performer for the Mets.
Rookie infielder Luisangel Acuna, who made his major league debut last September, has 10 stolen bases in 11 tries.
Holmes and Griffin Canning, each of whom signed short-term deals over the winter, are a combined 10-2 with a 2.55 ERA in 16 starts. Relievers Huascar Brazoban, Max Kranick and Reed Garrett, none of whom began last season in the majors, are a combined 5-2 with a 2.02 ERA.
“I think there’s just ups and downs throughout the year,” Baty said. “I think it’s just a testament to this whole group — just staying whoever they are and just coming in every single day and just being the same person.”
There have been many more downs than ups this year for the Pirates, who are in last place in the NL Central and became the first team this season to fire a manager when Derek Shelton was dismissed last Thursday.
The Pirates’ offensive struggles have persisted even as they’ve gone 2-3 — all in one-run games — under Don Kelly. Pittsburgh scored four runs or less for the 19th straight game Tuesday night, when it stranded 11 runners, including nine in scoring position.
The Pirates had runners at second and third with one out in the ninth inning before Edwin Diaz struck out Bryan Reynolds and retired Joey Bart on a groundout to close the win.
“We’ve got to find a way to get those runs in and push them across because Mitch did a great job,” Kelly said. “Not for lack of work that these guys are putting in. Just have to find a way to get it done.”
Holmes and Falter each earned wins in their previous starts last Friday. Holmes allowed one run over six innings as the Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 7-2, while Falter tossed six scoreless innings in the Pirates’ 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Holmes, who spent the first three-plus seasons of his career with Pittsburgh, is 0-0 with a 1.93 ERA and three saves in five relief appearances against the Pirates. Falter is 1-3 with a 3.86 ERA in six games (five starts) versus the Mets.
–Field Level Media
