PITTSBURGH (AP) — The New York Mets stopped a seven-game losing streak, their longest in four years, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Saturday behind Mark Canha's tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning and three RBIs.
Kodai Senga (6-3) allowed an unearned run and two hits in seven inning with six strikeouts and four walks. David Robertson and Adam Ottavino finished a three-hitter.
New York (31-34), which started the season with a record $355 million payroll, had given up 51 runs during the skid.
Rookie Francisco Álvarez hit his 12th homer and Brandon Nimmo had two hits and a RBI as the Mets overcame three errors.
With the score tied 1-1, Starling Marte singled off Johan Oviedo (3-5) leading the seventh and stole second as Brett Baty struck out. Dauri Moreta relieved and struck out Tommy Pham and Pirates manager Derek Shelton order an intentional walk to left-handed-hitting Luis Guillorme.
Canha, the No, 9 hitter, lined a double into right-center field. Usually an outfielder, Canha filled in at first base with Pete Alonso sidelined by a sprained left wrist. He raised his average to .244.
Álvarez homered leading off the eighth against former Mets reliever Colin Holderman and Canha doubled in a run in the ninth.
Oviedo gave up two runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings as the Pirates lost for the third time in 10 games.
Nimmo had a two-out RBI single in the third, and the Pirates scored in the fourth when second baseman Jeff McNeil misplayed Ji Hwan Bae’s one-hopper for an error that allowed Jack Suwinski to score. Canha and Guillorme, the shortstop, also committed errors.
BULLPEN SHUFFLE
RHP Tommy Hunter was designated for assignment by the Mets, who recalled LHP Josh Walker and RHP John Curtiss from Triple-A Syracuse and optioned LHP Zach Muckenhirn to the same club.
DH DUTY FOR LINDOR
Francisco Lindor was the Mets’ designated hitter after starting each of the first 64 games of the season at shortstop. He went 0 for 4. Lindor made a pivotal error in Friday night’s loss. However, manager Buck Showalter said he had already planned for Lindor to have a DH day.
STILL ONE AWAY
The Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen stayed stuck on 1,999 hits, going 0 for 3 with a walk. McCutchen got his first hit off the Mets and Mike Pelfrey in 2009.
UP NEXT
RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 5.94 ERA) starts Sunday for the Mets and RHP Mitch Keller (7-2, 3.60) for the Pirates.
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