Mets @ Pirates: 08/02 7:05 PM ET; SNY, SN; WCBS, ESPN, KDKA

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GAME 109, ROAD GAME 61

Friday, 2nd August
7:05 PM ET
PNC Park




METS -- STANDINGS



PIRATES -- STANDINGS



METS -- LEADERS -- PIRATES



METS -- BATTING -- PIRATES



METS -- PITCHING -- PIRATES



METS -- TRANSACTIONS - INJURIES



PIRATES -- TRANSACTIONS - INJURIES



GAME START WEATHER



METS -- LINEUPS -- PIRATES

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Stumbling Pirates Host Streaking Mets



The Pittsburgh Pirates, already stumbling, will be missing some personnel going into their weekend series against the visiting New York Mets beginning Friday.

Major League Baseball handed down several suspensions Thursday stemming from a benches-clearing brawl Tuesday between the Pirates and Cincinnati Reds and the incidents leading to it.

Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was suspended for two games, relief pitcher Keone Kela 10 games, relief pitcher Kyle Crick three games and utility player Jose Osuna five games.

The Pirates have plummeted to last in the National League Central after sitting within 2 1/2 games of both a wild-card spot and the division lead at the All-Star break.

New York, still eyeing the postseason, stood pat at the trade deadline Wednesday, while Pittsburgh somewhat surprisingly made just one move, sending Gold Glove outfielder Corey Dickerson to Philadelphia without getting a major league player back.

"We're going to make a run at this thing. With this rotation, anything is possible," Mets manager Mickey Callaway told reporters.

That rotation includes Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard -- both of whom were thought to possibly be on the trade block before New York decided to be a buyer, not a seller -- as well as Jacob deGrom and now Marcus Stroman.

New York acquired Stroman from Toronto three days before the trade deadline. He is expected to make his Mets debut Saturday.

The Mets did ship out one starter before the deadline day, trading Jason Vargas to Philadelphia.

"This team has shown resiliency," Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said. "This team has earned the right to now go play meaningful games over the course of the next two months."

Further fueling the optimism, the Mets are on a season-best seven-game winning streak. That includes a three-game series sweep of Pittsburgh last weekend in New York.

The Pirates, meanwhile, have lost 10 of their past 11 and are 3-16 since the All-Star break. They are opening a six-game homestand and have lost six of their past seven games at PNC Park.

Before the deadline, Pittsburgh shipped struggling starter Jordan Lyles to Milwaukee. There was speculation that the Pirates would deal All-Star closer Felipe Vazquez, but that didn't happen.

"While we've not put ourselves at the present time (in a place) to be a playoff-caliber club, the optimism remains there that we're going to fight as hard as we can this year to turn that around," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. "If not, we are going to work to be a postseason club next year. To have a player the caliber of Felipe Vazquez is incredibly helpful to do that."

In the series opener Friday, New York left-hander Steven Matz (6-6, 4.32 ERA) is scheduled to face Pittsburgh right-hander Trevor Williams (3-4, 4.87 ERA).

Matz threw a complete-game shutout against the Pirates on Saturday, striking out seven, walking none and allowing just five hits. Overall, he is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four career starts against Pittsburgh.

Williams was the loser in that 3-0 game Saturday, striking out seven and giving up three runs on four hits in seven innings. He is 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA in three career starts against the Mets.

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• The Mets earned a three-game sweep of the Pirates last weekend in New York, their first sweep of three or more games against Pittsburgh since September 2010 (four games).
• New York has won a season-high seven straight games, sporting a 1.80 ERA over that span (1.30 from starters). The Mets have MLB's best record (13-5, .722) and lowest ERA (2.56) since the All-Star break.
• The Pirates are an MLB-worst 3-16 (.158) since the break, averaging an NL-low 3.79 runs per game. The worst record all-time in their first 20 games after the All-Star break is 4-16, in both 1985 and 2007.
• Josh Bell leads the majors with 88 RBI and 64 extra-base hits. The only Pirate all-time to lead MLB in RBI is Willie Stargell in 1973, and the last to lead the majors in extra-base hits was Barry Bonds in 1992.
• Robinson Cano hit his 10th home run of the season on Thursday, his 15th straight season with 10 or more. The only other player with an active streak that long is Albert Pujols (19 straight).
• Steven Matz hurled not only his first career complete-game shutout last Saturday against the Pirates, but his first career complete game. He needed just 99 pitches in the win, the fewest by a Mets pitcher in a shutout since Johan Santana on May 26, 2012 against the Padres (96).

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Top of 1:
Mets first. McNeil doubled to right. Conforto lined out to first baseman Bell. Alonso doubled to right, McNeil scored. Canó singled to left, Alonso to third. Ramos grounded out, third baseman J.Osuna to first baseman Bell, Alonso scored, Canó to second. Davis walked on a full count. On Williams' wild pitch, Canó to third. Frazier popped out to second baseman Frazier.
Runs: 2, Hits: 3

Bottom of 1:
Pirates first. Newman grounded out, first baseman Alonso unassisted. Reynolds grounded out, pitcher Matz to first baseman Alonso. Marte struck out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

Top of 2:
Mets second. Rosario hit an infield single to third. Matz sacrificed, pitcher Williams to second baseman Frazier, Rosario to second. Rosario was caught stealing, catcher El.Díaz to third baseman J.Osuna, Rosario out. McNeil walked on a full count. Conforto grounded into fielder's choice, third baseman J.Osuna to shortstop Newman, McNeil out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Bottom of 2:
Pirates second. Bell struck out. J.Osuna singled to center. Cabrera grounded into fielder's choice, third baseman Frazier to second baseman Canó, J.Osuna out. Frazier grounded into fielder's choice, shortstop Rosario unassisted, Cabrera out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Top of 3:
Mets third. Alonso walked. Canó singled to center, Alonso to second. Ramos grounded into fielder's choice, catcher El.Díaz to third baseman J.Osuna, Alonso out, Canó to second. Davis doubled to center, Canó scored, Ramos to third. Frazier grounded into fielder's choice, third baseman J.Osuna to catcher El.Díaz to third baseman J.Osuna, Ramos out. Rosario grounded out, third baseman J.Osuna to first baseman Bell.
Runs: 1, Hits: 2

Bottom of 3:
Pirates third. El.Díaz struck out. Williams struck out. Newman lined out to third baseman Frazier.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

Top of 4:
Mets fourth. Matz lined out to third baseman J.Osuna. McNeil lined out to center fielder Marte. Conforto flied out to left fielder Reynolds.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

Bottom of 4:
Pirates fourth. Reynolds walked on a full count. Marte singled to right, Reynolds to second. Bell singled to left, Reynolds scored, Marte to second. J.Osuna singled to center, Marte scored, Bell to second. Cabrera doubled to center, Bell scored, J.Osuna scored. Frazier grounded out, second baseman Canó to first baseman Alonso, Cabrera to third. El.Díaz singled to center, Cabrera scored. Williams sacrificed, catcher Ramos to first baseman Alonso, El.Díaz to second. Gsellman pitching. Newman walked on a full count. Reynolds flied out to left fielder Davis.
Runs: 5, Hits: 5

Top of 5:
Mets fifth. Alonso struck out. Canó grounded out, first baseman Bell to pitcher Williams. Ramos grounded out, third baseman J.Osuna to first baseman Bell.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

Bottom of 5:
Pirates fifth. Marte flied out to right fielder McNeil. Bell walked on a full count. J.Osuna grounded into a double play, shortstop Rosario to second baseman Canó to first baseman Alonso, Bell out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

Top of 6:
Mets sixth. Davis grounded out, shortstop Newman to first baseman Bell. Frazier struck out. Rosario fouled out to first baseman Bell.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

Bottom of 6:
Pirates sixth. Cabrera popped out to shortstop Rosario. Frazier struck out. El.Díaz grounded out, shortstop Rosario to first baseman Alonso.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

Top of 7:
Mets seventh. Liriano pitching. Moran in as third baseman. Hechavarría pinch-hitting for Gsellman. Hechavarría lined out to left fielder Reynolds. McNeil struck out. Conforto singled to left. Ri.Rodríguez pitching. Alonso singled to center, Conforto to third. Canó safe at first on fielding error by shortstop Newman, Conforto scored, Alonso to third. Ramos grounded out, shortstop Newman to first baseman Bell.
Runs: 1, Hits: 2

Bottom of 7:
Pirates seventh. Bashlor pitching. Moran flied out to center fielder Conforto. Newman singled to right. Reynolds singled to center, Newman to second. Marte homered to left on a full count, Newman scored, Reynolds scored. Bell fouled out to third baseman Frazier. Reyes pinch-hitting for Ri.Rodríguez. Reyes walked on a full count. Reyes stole second. On throwing error by catcher Ramos, Reyes to third. Cabrera lined out to center fielder Conforto.
Runs: 3, Hits: 3

Top of 8:
Mets eighth. Crick pitching. Davis struck out. Frazier grounded out, shortstop Newman to first baseman Bell. Rosario singled to center. Altherr pinch-hitting for Bashlor. Altherr struck out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Bottom of 8:
Pirates eighth. Familia pitching. Frazier flied out to center fielder Conforto. El.Díaz walked. Moran flied out to left fielder Davis. Newman singled to center, El.Díaz to second. On Familia's wild pitch, El.Díaz to third. Reynolds walked on a full count, Newman to second. Marte struck out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Top of 9:
Mets ninth. F.Vázquez pitching. McNeil lined out to second baseman Frazier. Conforto flied out to left fielder Reynolds. Alonso struck out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

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Marte, Pirates Stop Mets' 7-Game Win String with 8-4 Victory


by WILL GRAVES

PITTSBURGH, PA -- Steven Matz's mastery of the Pittsburgh Pirates unraveled quickly. So did the New York Mets' seven-game winning streak.

Five days removed from a five-hit masterpiece in which he shut out the Pirates on 99 pitches, Matz didn't make it out of the fourth inning of an 8-4 loss on Friday night.

Melky Cabrera's two-run double highlighted Pittsburgh's five-run outburst against Matz (6-7) and Starling Marte's three-run home run in the seventh off New York reliever Tyler Bashlor provided some welcome cushion for the Pirates, who won for just the fourth time since the All-Star break.

"It all just snowballed so fast," Matz said. "I was out of the game and I was just like, `I can't believe I'm out of this game.' Especially with how I went the first time through the lineup."

Matz retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced and appeared on his way to a repeat performance before things feel apart in the fourth. Each of the first five hitters reached base, culminating in Cabrera's shot to the wall in left-center field to give the Pirates the lead.

Three batters later Matz's night was over. He allowed five runs with a walk and four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings to fall to 2-7 on the road. Matz's bumpy performance ended a 17-game streak in which New York's starting pitchers allowed three or fewer runs.

"He'll shake this one off and understand he's throwing some really good baseball since he got back into the rotation since the All-Star break," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said.

Pete Alonzo, Robinson Cano and Amed Rosario all had two hits apiece for the Mets. But New York lost for just the sixth time since the All-Star break when Matz couldn't protect an early three-run lead.

"We weren't going to go undefeated the rest of the way," Callaway said. "So we just have to start another one."

WILLIAMS RECOVERS

The Mets jumped on Trevor Williams (4-4) early, touching him for two runs in the first and appeared on the verge of a big inning in the third. Yet Williams survived thanks to some nifty defensive plays at third by Jose Osuna, given the start after Jung Ho Kang was designated for assignment.

Osuna cut down the lead runner on a force play at third and later caught Wilson Ramos in a rundown between third and home. Osuna also went 2 for 3 with an RBI.

"He saved us a run and he made a couple of really nice plays and it kind of ignites the team," Pirates shortstop Kevin Newman said.

Williams settled down quickly. He didn't allow a hit after J.D. Davis' RBI-double in the third, retiring the final 11 batters he faced as Pittsburgh rallied.

"We had to adjust in game," Williams said. "Thankfully I stuck with (catcher Elias Diaz) and it was good to go to Plan B and execute."

BRAWL FALLOUT

Bench coach Tom Prince filled in for Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle, who began serving a two-game suspension following a brawl in Cincinnati on Tuesday night that also resulted in suspensions for Osuna (five games) and relievers Keone Kela (10 games) and Kyle Crick (three games). All three players are appealing.

Kela, who admitted after the game in Cincinnati he was trying to send a message when he threw the ball over the head of Reds infielder Derek Dietrich in the seventh inning - a pitch that MLB ruled helped instigate the incident - believes the league is trying to make an example out of him.

"Me being honest, I guess the truth will get you crucified," Kela said. "At the end of the day, I'm not going to sit here and bald-faced lie. The game sees enough of that."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon will undergo surgery to repair a strained flexor tendon in his right forearm and will not return this season. Taillon (2-3, 4.10) last pitched on May 1. The 27-year-old - who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2014 - was shut down for several weeks after going on the injured list then experienced a setback while trying to rehab last month. There is no timetable on a potential return date.

UP NEXT

Mets: Marcus Stroman makes his first start for New York on Saturday after being acquired in a trade with Toronto. Stroman is 10-5 with a 2.93 ERA against National League teams in his career.

Pirates: Chris Archer (3-8, 5.58 ERA), who is 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA since June 12, will make his second start against the Mets in a week. New York touched Archer for six runs in five innings last Sunday.

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