PITTSBURGH — Challenges for the Mets in a Tough Game

Carlos Mendoza adjusted some elements during Saturday’s game, but the situation remained dire.

Mark Vientos found himself in roles typically filled by Brandon Nimmo or Starling Marte recently.

After a rain delay of an hour and a half that interrupted play in the top of two innings, the Pirates switched pitchers. Mendoza paired with Paul Blackburn, yet the Mets couldn’t shake off their struggles, ultimately losing 9-2 to the lowly Pirates at PNC Park.

Mendoza didn’t see much of the game from the dugout, as he was ejected in the fourth inning following a heated discussion with the home plate umpire regarding balls and strikes.

Despite this, the Mets’ bullpen showed some resilience, pitching six scoreless innings until Hasker Brazobán allowed four runs in the eighth inning.

The Mets now face the challenge of navigating the final game of the Sunday series. Their already thin bullpen may require reinforcements from Triple-A Syracuse.

This latest loss marks the Mets’ second consecutive defeat to the last-place team in the NL Central, compounding their difficulties with just 12 wins out of 15 games.

Blackburn gave up a run while allowing three hits in his third consecutive shaky performance, which saw his ERA climb to 7.71.

The game began positively for the Mets as Hwang Soto’s RBI single put them ahead 1-0, but they were unable to capitalize further on this lead.

Nimmo was retired with runners on the corners, and after Pete Alonso stole second, Starling Marte faltered.

After the rain delay, the Pirates took control of the game. Oneil Cruz, Joey Bart, Spencer Horwitz, Ke’Bryan Hayes, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa strung together three consecutive singles to put the Mets down 2-1.

Jose Buttó then entered the game, but a sacrifice fly from Adam Frazier added a run for the Pirates.

Buttó knocked Bryan Reynolds to load the bases; later, a catcher interference by Andrew McCutchen and Luis Torrens added to the Mets’ troubles.

A remarkable play in the fourth inning eliminated Brett Baty, who was tagged by Kiner-Falefa after a grounder slipped past Hayes.

Mendoza’s ejection marked the third time this season he has been tossed from a game—and his first as a manager.

Nimmo’s RBI single brought the Mets within 3-2. Alonso had a double, but the chance for more runs faded as Marte and Tyrone Taylor struck out.

Marte made a brief appearance in the eighth but was erased on a double play, leaving the Mets with a disappointing tally of 10 runners stranded.

Vientos went 5-1 with the infield in the ninth, showing some improvement from the bottom of the order—but the anticipated scoring surge never came.

Buttó, Brandon Waddell, and Reed Garrett offered the Mets six scoreless innings before the collapse in the eighth inning.

Among them, Waddell stood out, allowing just one hit and securing three strikeouts across three innings of effective work.

Hayes later contributed an RBI single, while McCutchen pushed the Pirates ahead with two-run singles and a double by Reynolds, adding to the Mets’ woes.