PITTSBURGH – The Mets concluded their wacky first-half itinerary on Sunday wounded and battered. Players are fatigued, mentally and physically, the product of a typical major-league season exponentially sullied by 42 extra innings, constant weather interruptions and a multitude of injuries.
The Mets bullpen is particularly strained, having borne the grunt of the extra and irregular baseball in recent weeks. The upcoming All-Star break has arrived at the perfect time. But one game stood in the way. Consequently, Dillon Gee, the Mets’ starting pitcher Sunday, had one chief objective: Pitch as deep into the game as possible.
Gee delivered, logging 6 2/3 innings in brutal heat in the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Pirates (56-37) before 37,490 fans at PNC Park.
By winning, the Mets avoided a sweep heading into the four-day respite for the league’s annual All-Star showcase, held this year at the team’s home ballpark, Citi Field.
The Mets (41-50) concluded their nine-game road trip at 6-3. They have compiled a 16-10 record since stooping to a season-low 15 games below .500 on June 17. Of the 10 losses, one was by more than two runs. They remain, however, in fourth place in the National League East.
"I had (someone) not on our team tell me the other day, ‘A lot of teams could’ve cashed it in in your situation and your team hasn’t,’ " Mets manager Terry Collins said. "That’s a pat on the back to those guys in that clubhouse."
Gee’s victorious outing extended his recent stretch of success. The right-hander has tossed at least six innings in eight of his past nine starts. Yesterday, Gee (7-7, 4.32 ERA) yielded one unearned run on five hits. He threw 105 pitches, striking out two and walking one.
"I felt pretty good out there," said Gee, who was hampered by blisters on his feet. "Stuff-wise, it probably wasn’t the best day, but I just tried to throw a lot of strikes."
The Mets provided the only offense necessary in the first inning, when Marlon Byrd doubled home Eric Young Jr. and John Buck clubbed a two-out, two-run single to right field off Pirates rookie starter Gerrit Cole (4-3, 3.89 ERA).
The threesome — Byrd, Young and Buck — each collected two hits.
Daniel Murphy knocked in the Mets’ final run on an RBI triple in the seventh inning that scored Young.
The lone run Gee allowed was unearned, but it was his own fault. After Gee retired seven of the first eight batters he faced, Cole hit a nibbler down the third-base line.
Gee dashed to his right, bent down to get the ball and quickly twisted to throw to first base as he fell — not realizing he had more time to make the throw.
The ball sailed up the first-base line, allowing the opposing pitcher to reach second base. Starling Marte then belted an RBI double to score Cole.
The Pirates, who entered the day tied for first place in the National League Central, would not score again until the eighth inning off LaTroy Hawkins, who was making his first appearance since tightness flared up in his right triceps.
"I can’t even hardly explain it," Collins said of Gee’s performance. "We needed to get innings and we needed to get him deep into the game, and he gave us that. He’s exhausted."
Bobby Parnell surrendered two singles in the ninth inning but wiggled out of trouble to secure his 17th save of the season.
"To finish up with a day like this and to go into the break winning a game here against a very, very, very good club is a big lift for us," Collins said. "It just says a lot about the makeup of this team, the way that they’ve played in the last three weeks."