Brett Baty hits a huge home run to carry the Mets over the Pirates.

Mets Edge Pirates with Late Homer from Baty

On a night that saw some unfortunate plays for the Mets, including one where a ball slipped through the glove of Mark Vientos, they salvaged a win thanks to a late-inning homer from Brett Baty.

Things took a turn when Jared Triolo’s grounder got past Vientos with two outs in the sixth, leading to a tying run for the Pirates. It seemed like a risky decision to keep Kodai Senga on the mound, especially after that misplay.

However, in the seventh inning, Baty, who had been working to return after a minor setback, launched the ball over the left field fence, giving the Mets a 2-1 victory at Citi Field on Tuesday.

This was Baty’s fourth homer since he returned to the team on May 7, adding a significant lift for a player who had been hitting just .204 prior to the game, despite a promising spring training.

Until that homer, the Mets were struggling against Pirates starter Mitch Keller, only managing to score when Juan Soto hit a single that helped Brandon Nimmo score on a double.

Keller, who struck out eight batters and limited the Mets to five hits over seven innings, seemed to have control of the game. The Mets had briefly gained a lead with their early runs, but Senga had to work hard to keep it intact.

After a shaky previous outing where he walked five batters, Senga improved, issuing fewer walks and escaping tight situations with his forkball. Despite some pressure in the sixth, including a visit to the mound after a single by Alexander Canalio, Senga stayed in the game until his final pitch went through Vientos’ glove, marking an unfortunate end to his outing.

Reed Garrett subsequently came in but struggled, allowing a run that seemed to put the Mets in a tight spot. It wasn’t a pretty game, especially against a Pirates team already grappling with management issues and staring down a potential 100-loss season.