Pirates take 2 of 3…look toward SF vs Cincy series for post season hopes.

Game 1 - The Mets run through 6 pitchers who combine to beat Pittsburgh 4-2.  Del Unser starred with 3 hits and 2 runs.  Ed Kranepool delivered a 2-run single in the 1st, and Joe Torre matched him in the 3rd.  Rick Reuschel went the distance for Pittsburgh, settling down for the final 5 frames. 

 

 

Pit  2  8  2
NY  4  8  1
W - Parker (1-0), L - Reuschel (4-3), S - Apodaca (5)
HR - none

Game 2 - The Mets took a 3-0 lead in the first on Kranepool's RBI single and Joe Torre's 2-run double.  Pittsburgh scored a run in the 2nd, then added 3 more in the 3rd to go up 4-3.  The Pirates chipped away at Seaver in the inning, using three singles, an error, and a walk.  The Mets kept the heat on Doug Drabek, and chased him in the 6th, but they didn't score.  Bottom of the 7th, errors on consecutive plays put two on, none out for the Mets.  A bunt and Rusty Staub's sac fly tied the game at 4.  John Smiley escaped with no further damage.  Top of the 9th, a tired Skip Lockwood replaced Seaver and walked the first two batters he faced.  Rick Baldwin replaced him, and walked the next two, forcing in a run.  Now with a 5-4 lead, the Pirates bullpen finally came through as Don Robinson got Rusty Staub for the final out.

Pit  5  5  2
NY 4  6  3
W - Smiley (2-3), L - Seaver (7-3), S - D. Robinson (4)
HR - none

Game 3 - Dorn Taylor makes his only appearance of the season a memorable one as he blanks the Mets through 6 innings and takes a 2-0 lead into the 7th.  The Pirates runs come off Darnell Coles' 2-run HR in the 1st inning.  Jerry Koosman settled in after that, trading zeroes with Taylor.  Bottom of the 7th, the Mets got to Taylor.  With 2 outs, Mike Phillips walked.  Jerry Grote reached on an error.  Then PH John Milner walked to load the bases for Felix Millan.  Millan doubled off Brett Gideon, 2 runs scored, and the game was tied at 2-2.  Hipolito Pena came on to get Del Unser to end the inning.  Top of the 8th, the Mets brought in Nino Espinosa.  Back-to-back doubles by Bream and Van Slyke gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead.  In the 9th, Barry Bonds hit a 3-run HR off Espinosa to close out the scoring at 6-2.

Pit  6 11  3
NY  2  5  2
W - Pena (1-1), L - Espinosa (0-1), S - D. Robinson (5)
HR - Coles (1), Bonds (12)