PITTSBURGH (AP) 鈥� Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer, rookie Zac Thornton pitched five scoreless innings and the New York Mets matched a season high with their fourth straight win by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 on Friday night.
Semien鈥檚 second homer in two games and 14th of the season, a drive to left-center off Carmen Mlodzinski, capped a four-run third that put the Mets ahead 5-0. New York, last in the NL East, swept a three-game series in Cleveland before busing to Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
Thornton (3-2) allowed four hits while striking out three and walking two. The left-hander remained in the game following a 36-minute rain delay in the top of the third.
Pittsburgh got two runs in the seventh and then two more in the ninth off closer Devin Williams, but a pair of baserunning mistakes cost the Pirates as they tried to rally.
Semien made a sliding stop at second base of Bryan Reynolds’ grounder with a runner aboard to end it.
Mets rookie outfielder in the bottom of the fourth, one inning after sliding into the wall in the left-field corner while catching a flyball hit by Ronny Simon.
Benge was replaced by Cristian Pache with the Mets leading 6-0. Benge helped New York build the lead with a pair of run-scoring singles.
Making his first start since May 25, Mlodzinski (6-4) was tagged for five runs and seven hits in three innings. Mlodzinski returned to the rotation from the bullpen after Mitch Keller sustained a season-ending right shoulder injury in his previous start.
A.J. Ewing, another rookie outfielder, had three hits and scored twice for the Mets. Ewing led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Benge, who also singled home a run in the third before Semien homered. Francisco Lindor added an RBI single in the fourth.
The Pirates, who are 4-11 since the All-Star break, got two hits each from Reynolds, Nick Gonzales, Simon and Jared Triolo.
Up next
Mets RHP Robert Stock (0-1, 1.80 ERA) faces rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (4-8, 4.49) on Saturday night.
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