Starling Marte's HR keys surging Mets to sweep of Pirates with 9
NEW YORK (AP) — Starling Marte hit his 150th career homer Wednesday, powering the New York Mets to a 9-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates and a sweep of a three-game series.
Marte, who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Pirates, hit the milestone two-run homer off the railing beyond the left-center field fence to give the Mets a 2-1 lead in the third inning.
Tyrone Taylor hit a two-run single in the sixth and Harrison Bader homered on the next pitch for the Mets, who are 10-3 since an 0-5 start. Brandon Nimmo’s two-run single capped a three-run eighth.
The sweep was the first for the Mets at Citi Field since they won three straight from the Philadelphia Phillies from May 30-June 1, 2023.
Right-hander Luis Severino (2-1) allowed an unearned run in six innings — his longest start since he tossed seven scoreless innings for the Yankees against the Detroit Tigers last Aug. 28. Severino allowed a base runner in each of his first five innings, but induced three double plays.