May 24th 2015 -- Pirates 9, Mets 1

Sunday in Pittsburgh with both Lucas Duda and Juan Lagares sidelined and Jon Niese running into 5th inning trouble the Pirates completed a 3 game sweep of the Mets with a convincing 9-1 drubbing of the Mets. The Mets offense is still missing in action. Sunday’s line featured Ruben Tejada at 3^rd and rookie Darrel Ceciliani. The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 4^th on a RBI double by Jordi Mercer.  The Mets tied it up immediately in the 5^th when Tejada walked, got to second on a fielder’s choice and was driven home by Wilmer Flores’ RBI single.  Then the wheels came off for Jon Niese as he allowed a 2 run homer by the surging Andrew McCutchen, his 7^th on the year. Then after Jung Ho Kang walked and got to 2^nd on a fielder’s choice, former Yankee Francisco Cerveilli singled him home to make it 4-1. That closed the book on Niese. In the 6^th usually dependable Erik Goeddel came on and had a rare bad outing as he yielded a 3 run homer by Starling Marte and it was 7-1. The Pirates added two more runs in the 7^th against Sean Gilmartin on a sac-fly Josh Harrison and an RBI single by Corey Hart. Niese continues to struggle last 4 2/3 innings allowing 7 hits 4 runs (all earned) 4 walks and 6 strikeouts.  Francisco Liriano didn’t give the Mets a chance allowing just 1 hit in 6 innings allowing the 1 run walking 2 and striking out 12. Niese takes the loss and falls to 3-5. He watches his ERA rise to 4.08.  Liriano gets the “W” and improves to 2-4.  The Mets patchwork lineup managed 7 hits on the day. Flores led the way with a pair of singles.  Cervelli went 3 for 4 for the Bucs. With the loss the Mets fall to 24-21. They are 7-15 on the road. They fall to 2 1/2 games behind the Nationals who beat the Phillies 4-1. Speaking of the Phils, Monday the Mets come home for a 7 game home stand.  Memorial Day the Phils are in. 42 year old Bartolo Colon (6-3 4.85) goes to get the Mets back on track. Severino Gonzalez (2-1 7.11) goes for Philly.