Starter Jared Jones shelled as Pirates drop 5 of 6 after rout by Mets
PITTSBURGH — Bo Bichette went 5 for 5 with a three-run double and scored three times, Luis Robert Jr. homered and drove in four, and the New York Mets routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-1 Sunday.
Sean Manaea pitched seven strong innings and struck out 11, most by a New York starter this season. Francisco Alvarez also went deep and Jared Young had three hits for the last-place Mets, who improved to 5-1 on a nine-game trip following a substantial selloff ahead of last Monday's trade deadline.
Pirates starter Jared Jones (2-4) was tagged for eight runs and six hits in three-plus innings. He walked three and hit two batters with pitches as Pittsburgh lost for the fifth time in six games.
Coming off a 9-0 defeat Saturday night, New York turned the tables and outhit Pittsburgh 15-4. Bichette had a bases-loaded double in the fourth that pushed the lead to 8-1. Robert launched a two-run shot in the third, and Alvarez homered leading off the fifth.
Manaea (4-5) allowed only Jake Mangum's homer in the third. The big left-hander gave up three hits and walked none.
Jack Weisenburger, just called up from Triple-A Syracuse, tossed two scoreless innings in his major league debut to finish it.
Rookie outfielder Carson Benge returned to the Mets’ lineup from a sore left wrist and went 2 for 5 with an RBI single and a walk.
The Pirates begin a three-game series at Miami on Tuesday night as RHP Paul Skenes (9-10, 3.96 ERA) faces RHP Eury Pérez (5-9, 3.61).
