Pirates Shutout Mets, Avoid Series Sweep
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NEW YORK — The Pittsburgh Pirates put together a good all-around performance as they shutout the New York Mets, 4-0 at Citi Field.
The Pirates avoid the sweep vs. the Mets, as they lost 4-3 on a walk-off in nine innings on May 12 and 2-1 on May 13. They improve to 15-29 and 6-16 on the road, while the Mets dropped to 28-16 overall and 17-5 at home.
Pittsburgh also ends a seven-game losing streak on the road, with their last road victory coming in a 3-0 win on April 25 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium.
Pirates left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter allowed a single to Mets third baseman Mark Vientos and walked first baseman Pete Alonso with one out in the bottom of the first inning. He then got left fielder Brandon Nimmot to fly out, but walked designated hitter Starling Marte, loading the bases.
Falter would get out of the inning, striking out Mets catcher Luis Torrens, keeping it scoreless.
Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled with two out in the top of the second inning and then first baseman Matt Gorski hit a sweeper on the seventh pitch at-bat against Mets' Clay Holmes into the left field seats for a two-run home run with heavy rain coming down.
Homers in the rain >>> pic.twitter.com/xkNQYDPpql
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 15, 2025
This marked Gorski's second home run in his rookie season, as he hit a solo home run in his first at-bat against the Los Angeles Angels on April 24.
Pittsburgh got back-to-back singles with two outs in the top of the fourth inning from left fielder Alexander Canario and Kiner-Falefa, but Gorski would ground out to end that scoring opportunity.
Falter allowed a leadoff single to Nimmo in the bottom of the fourth inning, got Marte to fly out, allowed a single to Torrens, got center fielder Tyrone Taylor to pop out and then walked second baseman Luisangel Acuña to load the bases for the Mets.
Pirates manager Don Kelly took Falter out and brought in right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart to face right-handed batter in Mets right fielder José Azócar.
The switch worked as Shugart got Azócar to fly out and kept the Pirates up 2-0 heading into the fifth inning.
Pirates center fielder Ji Hwan Bae laid down a successful leadoff bunt for his first hit of the season in the top of the fifth inning.
Third baseman Jared Triolo then hit a sinker over the middle of the plate from Holmes and sent the ball over the left field wall for a two-run home run, doubling the Pirates' lead at 4-0.
Spotted: Big 🌳 in NYC pic.twitter.com/R0i2Vppj7X
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 15, 2025
Triolo makes it two home runs in six games for the Pirates, after not hitting one prior this season.
Shugart had a solid outing for Pittsburgh, allowing just one hit over the next two innings. That one hit was a single from Alonso, who tried for a double, before Canario threw him out, after Alonso slid poorly, allowing second baseman Adam Frazier to easily make the tag.
The Pirates loaded the bases with one out in the top of the eighth inning, after designated hitter Andrew McCutchen led off with a walk, right fielder Bryan Reynolds strukcout and then both catcher Joey Bart and Canario hit back-to-back singles.
Pittsburgh missed out on a great opportunity to add onto their lead, as Kiner-Falefa struck out and Gorski popped up for the final two outs.
The Pirates got scoreless outings from right-handed pitchers in Tanner Rainey in the seventh inning, David Bednar in the eighth inning and from Dennis Santana in the ninth inning to secure the win.
The Pirates will have the day off before they face the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park this weekend, May 16-18.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.