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New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza doesn’t favor the expression “it’s still early.”

But it’s not too early for the Mets to be relieved they’re at .500. The last time they were there? June 4, 2023.

The Mets will look to climb over the break-even mark for the first time under their first-year manager Tuesday night when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the middle game of a three-game series.

Left-hander Jose Quintana (1-1, 3.45 ERA) is slated to start for the Mets against rookie right-hander Jared Jones (1-2, 4.00).

The Mets mounted another comeback Monday night as Harrison Bader delivered a tie-breaking, two-run double in the eighth inning of a 6-3 victory.

The win was the eighth in 11 games following an 0-5 start for the Mets, who have trailed in five of their victories. New York fell behind 3-0 in the sixth inning Monday but scored three runs in the bottom half against Pirates starter Martin Perez and reliever Hunter Stratton before scoring three more times in the eighth inning.

The Mets lead the majors with 30 runs scored in the eighth inning or later. On Sunday, Bader legged out a bases-loaded infield single in the eighth inning to break a scoreless tie in a 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals.

“Got off to a rough start, but we’ve still got a long way to go,” Mendoza said. “I don’t like using ‘it’s still early.’ I like where we are as a team, and we will continue to prepare, we will continue to go out there, compete, have fun. Today was another example — getting down 3-0 and guys continued (to) put together great at-bats.”

The loss marked the fourth time in six defeats this season in which the Pirates have squandered a lead. Perez had thrown just 62 pitches before a laborious sixth in which he threw 24 and exited after Francisco Lindor raced home from third with the Mets’ second run following an unusual error by right fielder Connor Joe, who spiked a throw to first base while attempting to double up Francisco Alvarez on a fly out by Jeff McNeil.

Aroldis Chapman was tagged with the loss after, in the eighth inning, he uncorked a wild pitch on strike three to McNeil before walking DJ Stewart and surrendering Bader’s go-ahead double.

“It’s going to be a long season,” Perez told reporters. “We’re going to have games like this. You’ve just got to turn the page, come back (Tuesday) and play better.”

Quintana earned the win last Thursday when he allowed three runs over 5 1/3 innings as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 16-4. He is 5-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 14 career starts against the Pirates, for whom he pitched in 2022.

Jones took the loss in his fourth career start last Thursday after giving up three runs over 6 1/3 innings as the Pirates fell to the Philadelphia Phillies 5-1. He has never opposed the Mets.

–Field Level Media