Six-run eighth inning leads Pirates to 9-2 rout of Mets

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jun 28, 2025

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — Unlike Friday, the Pirates didn’t have any doubles off the wall or homers over the bleachers. But like Friday, the Pirates routed the New York Mets anyway.

The Pirates beat the Mets 9-2 on Saturday evening at PNC Park, their second consecutive lopsided win against New York. They began the game like Friday, scoring three runs on five singles in the second inning, then turned a close game into a rout with a six-run eighth inning. They’ll go for the sweep Sunday.

Bailey Falter and Paul Blackburn started the contest, but each outing was quickly interrupted with a second inning, 89-minute rain delay.

Falter’s start ended with the delay. Blackburn’s did not.

Braxton Ashcraft came in for Falter after the delay, with two on and two outs in the second. He struck out Mark Vientos on three pitches. Blackburn returned to the mound. He allowed five consecutive singles, failing to get an out, and was removed.

As they did Friday, the bottom of the Pirates order “passed the baton.” Down 1-0 in the second inning, Oneil Cruz started with a single, stole second, then scored on a Joey Bart single. Spencer Horwitz singled Bart to third, then Bart came home when Ke’Bryan Hayes singled. Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to left, loading the bases and ending Blackburn’s day, before Adam Frazier brought in a third run with a deep sacrifice fly off reliever Jose Butto. The Pirates, however, missed the chance to break open the game.

After the delay, manager Don Kelly used his best arms to complete nine innings. Ashcraft threw 2 2/3 innings, giving up five hits but only allowing one to score. When Ashcraft allowed a run, coming on a Pete Alonso double and a single from Brandon Nimmo, Kelly turned to bullpen ace Dennis Santana despite it only being the fifth inning. Santana got five outs, allowing a walk and striking out two.

Caleb Ferguson pitched the seventh and eighth innings and faced the minimum. Even with a big lead, David Bednar pitched the ninth

Kelly’s Mets counterpart, Carlos Mendoza, was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the fourth inning. After his ejection, he animatedly and aggressively argued with home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz before finally leaving the field.

It was over when ...

… the Pirates broke it open in the eighth. They loaded the bases against reliever Huascar Brazoban with a Nick Gonzales single and two walks, then Hayes brought Gonzales home with a single. Kiner-Falefa scored another with a fielder’s choice, before Andrew McCutchen brought two in with a single and Bryan Reynolds scored two more with a double to the right-center gap.

On the mound

Falter got two quick outs in the second before a downpour started. He was hit hard in the first, allowing a leadoff double to Francisco Lindor and consecutive singles to Juan Soto and Alonso, but did well to hold the Mets to one run. He struck out Starling Marte with runners on the corners in the first.

At the plate

The Pirates had six hits in the first two innings, then were largely limited until the eighth. Reynolds’ double was their first extra-base hit of the game ... but given the nine-run, 12-hit day, few will complain.

Most valuable player

While it’s the easy way out, the Pirates’ bullpen deserves the honor. Ashcraft gave the Pirates much-needed length, then Santana, Ferguson and Bednar shut the Mets down. The trio got 13 outs without allowing a hit before a ninth-inning infield dribbler against Bednar.

Up next

The Pirates will go for the sweep at 1:35 p.m. ET Sunday. The Mets will start Frankie Montas (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who will be making his second start of the season, while the Pirates will counter with Mike Burrows (1-2, 4.45). Burrows pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings in relief on Wednesday in Milwaukee.

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