Pirates lose to Mets on Pete Alonso sacrifice fly

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on May 12, 2025

Published in Baseball

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NEW YORK — Paul Skenes, pitching in a major market against one of baseball’s best teams, pitched well enough to win. As has happened before, his team didn’t do enough to finish the deal.

The Pittsburgh Pirates lost 4-3 to the New York Mets at Citi Field on Monday night on a walk-off Pete Alonso sacrifice fly in the ninth. Skenes allowed one run in six innings, striking out six, and left with a 2-1 lead. The Pirate bullpen couldn’t hold it, allowing two runs in the seventh and a run in the ninth to lose it.

With the scoreline, the Pirates set a disappointing franchise record. Pittsburgh has scored four or fewer runs in 18 consecutive games, breaking a tie with the 1908 Pirates.

The Pirates are now 3-6 in Skenes’ starts, despite their ace’s 2.63 ERA.

Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, hours after his activation from the injured list, hit a solo homer to open the scoring in the second inning. The homer, Kiner-Falefa’s first of the season, was part of a 2 for 4 day.

The Mets tied it up in the fourth. Left fielder Brandon Nimmo led off the inning with a double to the right-center field gap, then center fielder Jeff McNeil laced a double down the right field line.

After the Pirates took a 2-1 lead in the seventh, scoring their run off of two walks, a stolen base, a balk and a groundout, the Mets scored two of their own. Ferguson, in after Skenes threw 92 pitches, hit pinch-hitter Tyrone Taylor, the first batter he faced. Mets second baseman Luisangel Acuna beat out a grounder to first for an infield single. Mets right fielder Juan Soto hit a weak grounder to first to allow Taylor to score.

Pirates manager Don Kelly brought in right-hander Colin Holderman to face right-hander Alonso, and Alonso hit a sharp grounder towards third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes. Hayes wasn’t able to field it, and as the ball kicked into left field, Acuna came around to score from second.

The Pirates tied it up in the ninth, capitalizing on two Mets defensive misplays. In a tie game with runners on first and third, right fielder Bryan Reynolds grounded into an inning-ending double play.

It was over when …

Alonso’s flyout to right field was more than deep enough to score Francisco Lindor from third.

On the mound

Skenes walked three, his third consecutive start with three or more walks, but found ways to get out of trouble. He allowed the first two batters of the game to reach, then got first baseman Alonso to ground into a double play before striking out Nimmo. Two more reached in the second, but Skenes got a strikeout and a groundout.

Skenes ended his day in the sixth by allowing two more batters to reach, then getting catcher Francisco Alvarez to ground into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

At the plate

Pirates catcher Joey Bart, fresh off a walk-off fielder’s choice Sunday, nearly tied it up in the top of the eighth. He hit a liner to the left field fence, but Nimmo leapt and robbed Bart of the game-tying homer.

Most valuable player

Lindor proved his worth, reaching base three times. He got on in the ninth on a Kiner-Falefa error, then advanced to third on a Soto single.

Up next

The Pirates and Mets continue their three-game series at 7:10 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller (1-4, 4.40 ERA) will face Mets ace Kodai Senga (4-2, 1.16).

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