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Edwin Diaz’s infrequent usage in recent weeks has allowed the Mets the kind of luxury they took advantage of Friday night.
Thrust into the eighth inning to protect a one-run lead, the All-Star closer came trotting from the bullpen and retired both batters he faced. Then he returned for the ninth, for another three outs.
Diaz’s five-out save, following Taijuan Walker’s solid start, helped the Mets secure their second straight victory, 4-3 over the Pirates at Citi Field.
Suddenly, the Mets are surging against teams they should beat. The victory improved them to 7-7 in a September stretch against teams with losing records, which included getting swept in three games by the Cubs to start the homestand.
Diaz, who had thrown just 24 pitches over two appearances since Sept. 1, was summoned after Walker allowed a two-run homer to Oneil Cruz with one out in the eighth inning. Walker had been brilliant to that point, matching his start at Miami last Sunday when he allowed one run over seven innings.
In the eighth, Diaz needed just one pitch to retire Bryan Reynolds on a liner to right before he caught Rodolfo Castro looking at a 100.6 mph fastball to end the inning.
In the ninth, Ben Gamel walked on four pitches leading off. But after Greg Allen pinch ran, he was thrown out attempting to steal second by Tomas Nido (the original call of safe was overturned by replay). Ke’Bryan Hayes then struck out and Cal Mitchell was retired on a deep fly ball to right to end it.
The save was Diaz’s fourth this season in which he recorded at least four outs. His longest was a six-out save against the Braves on Aug. 4.
Nido’s RBI single in the third inning gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. Eduardo Escobar walked and was running on the pitch, allowing him to score from first on Nido’s poke to right field against Mitch Keller. That continued a sizzling September for Nido, who entered with a 1.292 OPS in seven games this month.
Daniel Vogelbach smashed a two-out homer in the fourth that extended the Mets’ lead to 2-0. On Thursday, the previously slumping Vogelbach delivered two hits and drove in three runs against the Pirates.
Pete Alonso’s sacrifice fly in the sixth placed the Pirates in a 3-1 hole. Brandon Nimmo singled and stole second for his second stolen base in less than a week after going the entire season without one. Francisco Lindor followed with a single and stole second to put runners on second and third.
Nimmo’s RBI single in the seventh gave the Mets a needed insurance run after Escobar’s leadoff double and Nido’s ensuing single.
Walker retired the first 11 batters he faced before Rodolfo Castro singled in the fourth.
In the fifth, Hayes reached on Escobar’s throwing error to begin the inning and scored on consecutive singles (the latter of which was an infield roller) by Cal Mitchell and Michael Chavis. But the Mets avoided significant damage in the inning when Jeff McNeil leaped to snag Cruz’s long drive near the top of the right field fence for the final out.