PITTSBURGH — Break up the Mets — before they do.
Coming off their first series win in more than two months, the Mets hopped out of last place in the NL East and claimed a share of the NL’s longest win streak with their third straight victory, 12-6 over the Pirates on Thursday night at PNC Park.
In defeating a team which had won 11 of its previous 12 games, the Mets clinched their first three-game winning streak since June 16-18 and notched their highest run total in more than a month — with every starting position player recording at least one hit.
Trade candidate Asdrubal Cabrera led the way for the recently surging offense and kept his stock rising with three extra-base hits and four RBIs. Following a first-inning, two-run homer by Wilmer Flores (2-for-4, three RBIs), Cabrera again looked the part of the Mets’ most dangerous hitter.
The impending free agent hit a second-inning RBI double off the right field wall, then cleared the right field fence with a two-run shot in the fourth inning — his 18th of the season — in giving the Mets a 6-4 lead.
Cabrera finished 3-for-5 with a walk. He now has 58 RBIs this season after averaging 60.5 in his first two years with the Mets.
Steven MatzAP“He’s such a good hitter,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “He’s having a great year.”
Because of that, Cabrera could be spending his final days with the Mets.
“It feels kind of weird, a little bit, but I try not to think about it,” Cabrera said. “It’s nothing I can control. Whatever they do, they want to do the best for the team. I hope to stay here. I like New York. I like the team, but it’s nothing I can control.
“This is my team right now. I’m not thinking much about it. I just come here and do my job. The New York Mets are my team.”
Steven Matz (5-8) ended a personal three-game losing streak and tied a career-high with nine strikeouts. A pair of early mistakes, however, nearly erased the type of offensive support Jacob deGrom can only dream about.
Beginning his night with a two-run lead, Matz struck out the first two hitters he faced, but two batters later he allowed a two-run home run to David Freese. Then, while holding another two-run lead in the third inning, Matz surrendered another game-tying shot, to Josh Harrison.
The Pirates had a chance to take the lead in third, but Matz forced Francisco Cervelli into an inning-ending groundout with runners at second and third. The southpaw wasn’t threatened again.
In the fourth, Matz struck out the side, and he ended his night by retiring the final 10 hitters he faced. He allowed four runs, three hits and two walks over six innings, while throwing 106 pitches (63 strikes).
“Obviously we feel like he can be one of the better left-handers in the league, and the consistency that we’ve seen lately from him, he’s showing that,” Callaway said before the win. “We’re really happy with the progress that he’s made.”
