Matt Gorski and Jared Triolo each hit two-run homers Wednesday night for the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, who salvaged the finale of a three-game series with a 4-0 win over the New York Mets.
The Pirates improved to 3-3 since manager Don Kelly took over for the fired Derek Shelton last Thursday. Each of Pittsburgh’s first five games under Kelly were decided by one run.
The Mets were blanked for just the second time this season as their three-game winning streak was snapped.
Mets starter Clay Holmes (5-2) retired the first five batters before Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled and Gorski homered to left on a 3-2 pitch. Holmes then set down seven of the next nine batters before Ji Hwan Bae led off the fifth inning with a single — his first hit of the season. Triolo homered on the next pitch.
Holmes gave up four runs on seven hits and one walk while fanning four over six innings. He had allowed just one homer in his first eight starts of the season.
The Pirates collected only three hits the rest of the way, but a quartet of relievers finished Pittsburgh’s fourth shutout of the season and its first since April 25. Chase Shugart (2-3), who relieved Bailey Falter with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth, earned the win with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit ball.
Tanner Rainey, David Bednar and Dennis Santana combined to allow two hits over the final three innings.
Falter gave up three hits and a season-high-tying five walks while striking out three over a season-low 3 2/3 innings.
Kiner-Falefa and Alexander Canario had two hits each for the Pirates, who played without Oneil Cruz (lower back) for the fourth straight game.
Six players had one hit apiece for the Mets, who left the bases loaded against Falter in the first. The shutout defeat was the first for New York since a 5-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on April 9.
–Field Level Media
