Pirates Fall to Mets on Extra Innings Walk-Off Home Run
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates battled the New York Mets throughout their second game of the season, but one big swing undid all the great pitching they had.
The Pirates would lose to the Mets 4-2 in 11 innings, as rookie left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco gave up a three-run walk-off home run to center fielder Luis Robert Jr. on a slider down below that he sent out over the left-center field wall.
While it appears the pitching faltered late and was primarily culpable, the Pirates hitting was poor all day, going 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position and leaving 18 runners on base.
It marked the second straight defeat for the Pirates, who fell 11-7 on Opening Day on March 26 and have now lost the first series of the season for the second straight year.
Mitch Keller Dominates for Pirates
The Pirates ran through almost their entire bullpen in their Opening Day loss and needed a strong start from right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller.
He did more and then some for the Pirates, throwing six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and no walks, while posting three strikeouts.
Keller hardly allowed any hard contact and got a lot of ground outs, pop outs and fly balls in his outing.
Pirates center fielder Jake Mangum did give Keller some help in the bottom of the sixth inning, with a solid run down on a ball hit near the center field wall from Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor.
He mostly relied on his four-seam fastball and sinker, but also utilized his sweeper and changeup in his first start of 2026.
Pitch | Usage | Average Velocity |
|---|---|---|
Four-Seam Fastball | 26/77 (34%) | 92.7 mph |
Sinker | 18/77 (23%) | 91.5 mph |
Sweeper | 16/77 (21%) | 81.7 mph |
Changeup | 11/77 (14%) | 88.7 mph |
Curveball | 5/77 (6%) | 77.2 mph |
Slider | 1/77 (1%) | 86.1 mph |
This marks Keller's 16th career outing of him throwing six innings and not giving up a run and he only did it twice last season.
He also has had great success vs. the Mets in his career and lowered his career ERA vs. them to 1.79, allowing just nine runs over 45.1 innings pitched over seven games.
Pirates Waste Opportunities At the Plate Early on
The Pirates had many great chances to take the lead early in the game, but couldn't get that crucial run.
Catcher Joey Bart and Mangum hit back-to-back singles with one out in the top of the third inning, but shortstop Jared Triolo lined out and then first baseman Ryan O'Hearn flew out to center field
The Pirates then got two runners on with no outs in the top of the fourth inning, with left fielder Bryan Reynolds reaching on an error from Mets third baseman Bo Bichette and then designated hitter Marcell Ozuna walking.
Third baseman Nick Gonzales struck out, second baseman Brandon Lowe grounded into a force out and then right fielder Nick Yorke grounded out a well to end that chance.
Pittsburgh loaded the bases in the top of the fifth inning, as Triolo and O'Hearn hit back-to-back singles and Reynolds walked, but Ozuna popped up for another missed opportunity.
Gonzales and Yorke singled in the top of the sixth inning, putting two runners on with one out, which took Mets left-handed starting pitcher David Peterson out of the game.
Mets right-handed relief pitcher Huascar Brazobán came in and struck out Bart and then got Mangum to ground out.
The Pirates were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine baserunners through the first six innings of this contest.
Pittsburgh had another chance to take the lead in the top of the ninth inning, as Mangum hit a double with one out.
Triolo hit a ground out, moving Mangum to third base, and O'Hearn walked, but Reynolds would strikeout to miss out once again.
Pirates Bullpen Sends Game to Extra Innings
Right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence came in relief for Keller in the bottom of the seventh inning and immediately walked two batters.
Lawrence, who gave up two home runs on Opening Day, prevented things from getting worse as he struck out the next two batters after that.
Pirates manager Don Kelly brought on new free agent signing and left-handed relief pitcher Gregory Soto, which worked out, as he struck out Mets right fielder Carson Benge, a left-handed batter, to end the inning.
Gregory Soto began the bottom of the eighth inning by walking Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez and then had speedster Tyrone Taylor on base with no outs.
He faced the top of the order, but handled it well, as he struck out Lindor, got left fielder Juan Soto to ground out and then struck out Bichette, keeping it scoreless heading into the ninth inning.
Right-handed pitcher Dennis Santana took over in the ninth inning and walked Mets first baseman Jorge Polanco and got a ground out from center fielder Luis Robert Jr., with Polanco moving up to second base and in scoring position.
Santana then faced designated hitter Brett Baty, who hit a liner right at O'Hearn, who leaped up and made the grab, then threw Polanco out at second base, sending the game into extra innings.
O'Hearn extends the game! pic.twitter.com/bmVPhdtBCE
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 28, 2026
Game Heads to Extra Innings
The Pirates would finally break the deadlock in the top of the 10th inning, as Gonzales hit an RBI-single with one out, scoring Reynolds who started on second base.
Pittsburgh would load the bases, as second baseman Brandon Lowe singled and Henry Davis, who came in at catcher, walked, but Mangum grounded out to keep the lead at just 1-0.
Barco made his season debut in the bottom of the 10th inning for the Pirates and hit Mets second baseman Marcus Semien with a pitch to start out.
Barco then gave up back-to-back singles to pinch-hitter Mark Vientos and catcher Luis Torrens, tying it up at 1-1 with no outs.
Lindor hit it right to Lowe, who then threw Semien out at home to keep it tied with one out and Barco jammed up Juan Soto, ran up to get the dribbler and threw out Vientos at home for the second out.
Barco then got out of the inning, as he forced Bichette to fly out, keeping it level at 1-1 with the game going into the 11th inning.
Mangum moved to third base after a ground out from O'Hearn and then Reynolds hit a dribbler down the third base line, bringing him home and giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead.
Ozuna got his first hit of the season with a single, moving Reynolds to third base, but Gonzales struck out to keep the Pirates' advantage at just one run.
Barco began the bottom of the 11th inning by walking Polanco and then left a slider below the zone, that Robert unleashed on to give the Mets a 4-2 victory on the three-run walk-off home run.
LUIS ROBERT JR. WALK-OFF HOME RUN 🍎 pic.twitter.com/3kYwV3BTav
— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2026
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.