NEW YORK -- For the second day in a row, the Pirates and Mets found themselves in extra innings at Citi Field. But this time, Pittsburgh won the game, 4-3, in 10 innings on Sunday afternoon. It was the Bucs’ first victory of the season as they salvaged the three-game series.
“In the win column. We’ll take that any time,” manager Don Kelly said.
It looked like it was going to be another bad day for the Pirates with runners in scoring position. They were 2-for-18 in that category on Saturday and 1-for-11 on Sunday, prior to the 10th frame. But with the score tied at 2 and Mets left-hander Richard Lovelady on the mound, Ryan O’Hearn singled to left field, driving in automatic runner Bryan Reynolds.
“It feels great,” O’Hearn said. “I thought the last [couple] of days were ultra competitive against a really good team, which is a good sign for us. … Obviously, you want to win the series, but we came out today, salvaged the series. It’s incredibly hard to win on the road in extra innings, because they are going to hit in the bottom of the inning. I feel good about contributing today.”
Four batters later, Pittsburgh added to the lead when catcher Henry Davis singled to right-center field, scoring pinch-runner Billy Cook.
“Huge. It was a tough series when you look at the lack of hits with runners in scoring position throughout the series,” Kelly said. “To come up big in the 10th inning, we needed that one. We needed the extra one by Henry late.”
Right-hander José Urquidy picked up his first save of the season by holding off the Mets in the bottom of the 10th. It wasn’t easy. With runners on first and second with no outs, Juan Soto doubled to left-center field, scoring automatic runner Francisco Alvarez, but relay throws from center fielder Oneil Cruz and shortstop Jared Triolo were able to nail Francisco Lindor at the plate.
“It was a game changer right there, obviously,” O’Hearn said. “A great relay from [Triolo]. He had made a lot of great plays, and a great tag from Henry.”
Said Davis: “It was a really good play all around. I kind of dove at [Lindor at home plate]. I’m happy we were able to get him out. You just know you always have a chance when you have plus arms on the field. You always have a chance to get him.”
It was smooth sailing after that. Bo Bichette grounded out, while Jorge Polanco flied out to Cook in right field to end the game.
For Urquidy, it was his second career save and his first since 2023. The right-hander missed most of the past two seasons because of Tommy John surgery.
“I was out of baseball for a long time,” Urquidy said. “To be here on the Opening Day roster with this team and the chance that they gave me, I’m very happy with the organization.”