Final/10
Mets-Pirates Preview
Jul 2, 2009 - 5:18 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS WriterNew York (37-39) at Pittsburgh (36-41), 12:35 p.m. EDT
The Mets and the Pirates are the two most power-starved teams in the major leagues, but failure to hit home runs wasn't the only problem New York had in Pittsburgh earlier this season.
The Pirates look to complete a rare four-game home sweep of the Mets on Thursday as the teams make up a game that was postponed June 3 by rain.
The Mets (38-39) are tied with Pittsburgh (36-42) for last in the majors with 49 homers. Gary Sheffield leads New York with 10 while Adam LaRoche has a team-high 11 for the Pirates.
New York, which hasn't been swept in a four-game set at Pittsburgh since Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 1989 when both clubs were in the NL East, has gone deep 16 time since June 1, and has greatly been affected by injuries to sluggers Carlos Delgado (hip) and Carlos Beltran (knee) among others.
The Mets' lineup averaged 2.4 runs in losing five straight to close out last month, and had just five hits Thursday in Milwaukee. That, however, proved to be good enough as Mike Pelfrey's 7 2-3 shutout innings helped carry New York to a 1-0 win.
"If the starting pitcher goes out there and works fast, throws strikes and keeps the ball on the ground, it keeps everybody involved, and that's what (Pelfrey) did today," manager Jerry Manuel told the Mets' official Web site. "That's a big effort from him."
Ryan Church drove in the only run, and he batted .583 (7 for 12) in the series with Milwaukee. He missed all three games last month in Pittsburgh with a strained right hamstring.
The Pirates dropped their series finale against the Cubs on Wednesday, mustering six hits in the 4-1 loss. It was the major league-high 20th time Pittsburgh scored one run or fewer, and they've yet to win any of them.
"They say hitting is contagious. I guess not hitting is contagious, too," shortstop Jack Wilson told the Pirates' official Web site. "We fall into these ruts where we get our chances and don't capitalize."
Pittsburgh is 4-18 this season when limited to six hits or less.
Tim Redding (1-3, 6.35 ERA) will get the ball for New York, and he's struggled since entering the rotation in mid-May. The right-hander gave up five runs and six hits - including two homers - in 5 1-3 innings Saturday while the Mets managed only one hit in a 5-0 loss to the New York Yankees.
Redding is 0-1 with a 6.38 ERA in five outings in Pittsburgh and Wilson is hitting .385 (10 for 26) versus him.
The Pirates counter with Paul Maholm (5-4, 4.35), who faced the Mets on May 9 in New York, yielding seven runs and 10 hits over five innings in a 10-1 loss. He's 3-2 with a 3.65 ERA in six career starts versus the Mets.
Maholm is 3-1 with a 1.96 ERA in six home starts this season, and he looked solid there against Kansas City on Friday. The left-hander gave up two runs and five hits over seven innings in a 6-2 win.
"He really settled in and gave us a quality outing," manager John Russell said. "He threw a very good game for us."
- NL
FINAL 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
- - - - - - - - -
NY METS 0 0 0 2 4 2 0 0 0
PITTSBURGH 0 3 2 0 0 0 1 0 2
10 R H E
-- - - -
NY METS 1 9 15 0
PITTSBURGH 0 8 12 0 (FINAL 10)
BATTERIES: NYM
Jul 2 5:37 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RYAN CHURCH SCORED FERNANDO TATIS.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R CHURCH ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 9
PITTSBURGH 8 TOP, 10TH
DUE UP FOR NY METS: N EVANS (.348, 2-FOR-5, RBI)
Mets 9, Pirates 8 Top 10, 0 OutsJul 2 5:27 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY ADAM LAROCHE (12) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH
0 OUT IN THE 9TH OFF FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ SCORED FREDDY SANCHEZ.
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 8, PITTSBURGH 8
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: G JONES (.375, 3-FOR-4, HR, 2 RBI)
Mets 8, Pirates 8 Bot 9, 0 OutsJul 2 4:59 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY GARRETT JONES (1) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 2
OUT IN THE 7TH OFF PEDRO FELICIANO.
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 8, PITTSBURGH 6
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: AN LAROCHE (.276, 0-FOR-2, BB)
Mets 8, Pirates 6 Bot 7, 0 OutsJul 2 4:15 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY FERNANDO TATIS (3) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 6TH OFF JEFF KARSTENS SCORED DAVID WRIGHT.
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 8, PITTSBURGH 5
DUE UP FOR NY METS: R CHURCH (.291, 2-FOR-3, RBI)
Mets 8, Pirates 5 Top 6, 0 OutsJul 2 3:48 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY JEREMY REED SCORED RYAN CHURCH.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, O SANTOS ON FIRST, N EVANS ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 6
PITTSBURGH 5 TOP, 5TH
DUE UP FOR NY METS: L CASTILLO (.276, 1-FOR-3)
Mets 6, Pirates 5 Top 5, 0 OutsJul 2 3:31 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY NICK EVANS SCORED FERNANDO TATIS.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, N EVANS ON FIRST, R CHURCH ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 5
PITTSBURGH 5 TOP, 5TH
DUE UP FOR NY METS: O SANTOS (.259, 0-FOR-2)
Mets 5, Pirates 5 Top 5, 0 OutsJul 2 3:21 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RYAN CHURCH SCORED DAVID WRIGHT.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, R CHURCH ON FIRST, F TATIS ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 4
PITTSBURGH 5 TOP, 5TH
DUE UP FOR NY METS: N EVANS (.350, 1-FOR-2)
Mets 4, Pirates 5 Top 5, 0 OutsJul 2 3:20 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY GARY SHEFFIELD SCORED ALEX CORA.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, G SHEFFIELD ON FIRST, D WRIGHT ON SECOND, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 3
PITTSBURGH 5 TOP, 5TH
DUE UP FOR NY METS: F TATIS (.253, 1-FOR-1, HBP)
Mets 3, Pirates 5 Top 5, 0 OutsJul 2 3:17 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DANIEL MURPHY SCORED FERNANDO TATIS AND RYAN
CHURCH.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, D MURPHY ON FIRST, N EVANS ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 2
PITTSBURGH 5 TOP, 4TH
DUE UP FOR NY METS: L CASTILLO (.277, 1-FOR-2)
Mets 2, Pirates 5 Top 4, 0 OutsJul 2 3:00 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY ROBINZON DIAZ SCORED GARRETT JONES.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, R DIAZ ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 0
PITTSBURGH 5 BOTTOM, 3RD
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: R VAZQUEZ (.244, 0-FOR-0, BB)
Mets 0, Pirates 5 Bot 3, 0 OutsJul 2 2:43 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY GARRETT JONES SCORED ADAM LAROCHE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, G JONES ON THIRD, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 0
PITTSBURGH 4 BOTTOM, 3RD
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: AN LAROCHE (.278, 0-FOR-0, BB)
Mets 0, Pirates 4 Bot 3, 0 OutsJul 2 2:40 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY JACK WILSON SCORED ROBINZON DIAZ.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, A MCCUTCHEN ON FIRST, R VAZQUEZ ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 0
PITTSBURGH 3 BOTTOM, 2ND
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: D YOUNG (.315, 0-FOR-1)
Mets 0, Pirates 3 Bot 2, 0 OutsJul 2 2:27 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
ANDREW MCCUTCHEN HIT BY TIM REDDING PITCH WITH BASES LOADED
SCORED ANDY LAROCHE.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A MCCUTCHEN ON FIRST, R VAZQUEZ ON SECOND, R
DIAZ ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 0
PITTSBURGH 2 BOTTOM, 2ND
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: J WILSON (.284, 0-FOR-0, SAC)
Mets 0, Pirates 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsJul 2 2:24 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ROBINZON DIAZ SCORED GARRETT JONES.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R DIAZ ON FIRST, A LAROCHE ON THIRD, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY METS 0
PITTSBURGH 1 BOTTOM, 2ND
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: R VAZQUEZ (.244, 0 HR, 8 RBI)
Mets 0, Pirates 1 Bot 2, 0 OutsJul 2 2:18 PM
Related News
- Mets Ace Kodai Senga Sidelined with Shoulder Strain Feb 22
- Mets Morning News for December 26, 2023 Dec 26
- From Complex To Queens, Episode 256: Merry Metsmas 2023 Dec 25
- Mets Morning News for December 25, 2023 Dec 25
- Mets sign RHP Chad Smith to minor league deal Dec 24
- Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World Series: Blue, not Blue and Orange, Christmas Dec 24
- Mets Morning News for December 24, 2023 Dec 24
- Mets Morning News for December 23, 2023 Dec 23
- Pirates Top Games of 2023: No. 6 - Drew Maggi gets his moment Dec 23
- The Pirates got it right with Andrew McCutchen Dec 22
- Mets Morning News for December 22, 2023 Dec 22
- Bucs Arghticles: Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen makes comments after signing Dec 22