PITTSBURGH — The Mets found themselves in the usual disappointment of a bullpen pitcher blowing a lead on Sunday, but at least they had a chance to turn things around.
They fought back with aplomb in the ninth inning, then got the big hit they needed from Francisco Lindor, whose two-out, two-run single provided the tying and winning runs for a 3-2 win over the Pirates at PNC Park.
Lindor’s single struck out former Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman half an inning after Edwin Diaz had given the Tigers a one-run lead.
Francisco Alvarez walked the leadoff batter to start the comeback, and Harrison Bader singled.
Chapman struck out Mark Vientos and pinch hitter Luis Torrens before walking Jose Iglesias and Lindor reached base for the fourth time in the game with a two-run single.
After allowing two singles before and after striking out on a foul bunt in the top of the eighth, Dedniel Nunez struck out Bryan Reynolds for the second out, prompting manager Carlos Mendoza to substitute Diaz, who had returned from a 10-game suspension for violating MLB’s foreign substance rules the previous day.
On Saturday, Diaz earned the save after spending a mostly uneventful ninth inning with a three-run lead, but on this day he walked Joshua Palacios to load the bases and then Nick Gonzalez hit a two-run single through the hole at shortstop to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead.
Diaz returned to the mound after Lindor’s game-winning hit and pitched a perfect ninth inning.
Brandon Nimmo broke the scoreless tie in the eighth inning with a one-run double off former Mets relief pitcher Colin Holderman.
Lindor walked with two outs, then Nimmo hit a home run to left-center field.
Sean Manaea pitched six scoreless innings for the Mets, allowing just two hits, walking three and striking out six.
For the left-hander, this was his second consecutive game in which he has pitched six or more innings after failing to do so in seven straight games.
The Mets were pleased to see Luis Ortiz leave the game after six innings.
The right-hander, making his second start of the season, allowed no runs over six innings, just four hits and no walks.
Ortiz gave the Mets two chances to score in the third inning when Lindor singled with two outs, advancing Vientos to third base, before Nimmo struck out in two consecutive at-bats.
Lindor hit a double in the sixth and advanced to third on a grounder by Nimmo, but the crisis was averted when J.D. Martinez was ejected from the game.
The Pirates had runners on base throughout the innings against Manaea, but the left-hander managed to avoid any damage.
He walked two batters in the first inning, but got Reynolds to hit into a double play to end the inning.
In the second inning, Manaea missed the base while covering first base, allowing the leadoff batter of the inning, Ke’Bryan Hayes, to advance, but then three straight batters were out.
Hayes advanced to third base on a wild pitch and a stolen base.
In the fifth inning, Joey Bart hit a ball past third base, but was caught out by left fielder Jeff McNeil trying to make it a second.
Alvarez hit a double against Carmen Morozinski in the seventh inning, but Vietnos and DJ Stewart were both out and the game remained scoreless.
Hayes singled against leadoff hitter Reid Garrett in the bottom of the inning, but after pinch hitter O’Neill Cruz struck out, pinch hitter Rowdy Tellez grounded out to get into a double play.
Iglesias singled against Holderman in the eighth inning, but was out attempting to steal second base.
Lindor then walked and the Mets scored.
