Starling Marte's HR keys surging Mets to sweep of Pirates with 9-1 victory

NEW YORK (AP) — Starling Marte hit his 150th career homer Wednesday, powering the New York Mets to a 9-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates and a sweep of a three-game series.

Marte, who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Pirates, hit the milestone two-run homer off the railing beyond the left-center field fence to give the Mets a 2-1 lead in the third inning.

Tyrone Taylor hit a two-run single in the sixth and Harrison Bader homered on the next pitch for the Mets, who are 10-3 since an 0-5 start. Brandon Nimmo’s two-run single capped a three-run eighth.

The sweep was the first for the Mets at Citi Field since they won three straight from the Philadelphia Phillies from May 30-June 1, 2023.

Right-hander Luis Severino (2-1) allowed an unearned run in six innings — his longest start since he tossed seven scoreless innings for the Yankees against the Detroit Tigers last Aug. 28. Severino allowed a base runner in each of his first five innings, but induced three double plays.

Bryan Reynolds had a third-inning RBI single for the Pirates.

Bailey Falter (1-1) gave up two runs in five innings for Pittsburgh.

EARLY SEASON ATTENDANCE

The attendance at Citi Field was 18,092. It's the sixth game under 20,000 in 11 home dates for the Mets.

SHEA HEY

Jack Fisher threw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday, which was the 60th anniversary of Fisher throwing the first pitch in the Mets’ debut game at Shea Stadium — a 4-3 loss to the Pirates in which Fisher threw 6 2/3 innings. Fisher, 85, was accompanied to the mound by 83-year-old Ron Hunt, who made the NL All-Star team for the Mets in 1964 and 1966, and Hunt’s son.

METS MOVE

The Mets claimed RHP Michael Tonkin off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and designated LHP Tyler Jay for assignment. Tonkin began the season with the Mets and went 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in three games before being designated for assignment and claimed by the Twins. He gave up two runs in two innings in his lone appearance for Minnesota on April 12.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (lower back) missed his second straight game. … C Yasmani Grandal (left foot plantar fasciitis) went 0-for-2 with an RBI in his first rehab game Tuesday for Triple-A Indianapolis. … SS Oneil Cruz was visited by a trainer but remained in the game after he stumbled and fell while trying to elude Jeff McNeil’s tag on a first-inning grounder by Connor Joe. Cruz, who was tagged out by shortstop Francisco Lindor, was limited to nine games last season because of a broken ankle suffered during a home plate collision against the Chicago White Sox.

Mets: 3B Brett Baty (left hamstring), who left Tuesday’s 3-1 win in the sixth inning, didn’t play but felt better. Manager Carlos Mendoza said Baty is day to day and shouldn’t require a stint on the injured list. … C Francisco Alvarez stayed in the game after he was hit in the throwing hand by Henry Davis’ bat in the third inning. Alvarez was charged with catcher’s interference on the play.

UP NEXT

Pirates: Begin a seven-game homestand Friday by hosting the Boston Red Sox.

Mets: Start a six-game West Coast road trip Friday with the opener of a three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers. LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 4.30 ERA) is scheduled to start for New York. Los Angeles has yet to announce a starter.

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