Clay Holmes’ early success this season can be mainly attributed to his ability to prevent home runs.
However, on Wednesday night, the right-handed pitcher allowed two homers over Citifield’s left field fence, causing the Mets to end their three-game winning streak.
Without much offensive help, Holmes and the Mets fell 4-0 to the Pirates in a rain-soaked Queens.
These two home runs gave Holmes a total of three for the season; the other two were given up last Friday against the Cubs.
Although the Mets finished with a 4-2 record on their homestand, they couldn’t manage to secure a victory in their fourth series this season.
Offensively, the Mets struggled greatly, going without an extra-base hit and finishing 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Notably, this game marked the first time Juan Soto was absent from the starting lineup, as manager Carlos Mendoza opted to give him the night off.
Jeff McNeill’s seventh pinch-hit single, along with Sterling Marte’s single, provided the only offense for the Mets in the final four innings. The team loaded the bases twice early on but failed to score.
Looking ahead, the Mets have the Subway Series, starting with three games at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.
Holmes pitched six innings, allowing four hits, striking out four, and giving up four runs on one walk. This marked his third consecutive outing of six innings. He left the game after throwing 90 pitches.
Matt Golsky hit a two-run homer, boosting the Pirates to a 2-0 lead. Isiah Kiner-Falefa started the rally with two outs and a single, followed by Holmes’ wild pitch, which set up Golsky to capitalize with a homer into left field.
Luisangel Acuña earned two walks, loading the bases, but Chase Sugart needed just one pitch to retire Jose Azocar, ending the threat. Brandon Nemo and Lewis Torrence each had singles in the inning.
The Mets also loaded the bases in the first inning but came away empty. They managed to load the bases again, ending the frame after Marte walked, with Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso also walking and hitting singles.
Jared Triolo hit a two-run homer in the fifth, putting Holmes further behind at 4-0. Ji Hwan Bae bunted to lead off the inning before Triolo deposited a sinker into left field for the homer. Holmes allowed two more base runners but managed to induce a double play to escape the inning.
Alonso was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double after he was tagged out when his hand left the base during the slide.
Génesis Cabrera provided two scoreless innings for the Mets, steering clear of danger even as the Pirates mounted threats in the eighth inning. Dedniel Nuñez pitched a perfect ninth, bouncing back after struggling with control in his earlier appearances since returning from Triple-A Syracuse. This marked his second strong outing in a row.
