All good things must come to an end.

After winning seven games in a row, the New York Mets (53-56) lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates (48-61) on Friday by a score of 8-4. (box score)

Steven Matz made the start for the Mets and breezed through the Bucs’ lineup first time around. But when the Pirates faced Matz the second time in the fourth inning, they scored five runs and never looked back.

The Mets had Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams on the ropes in the early part of the game, but he settled down to stifle the Mets and get the win.

Pitching

Steven Matz made his 22nd start off the year against Pittsburgh on Friday.

Matz faced only ten Pirates batters over the first three frames (one over the minimum) and struck out three.

The fourth inning is where things became undone for Matz. The Pirates sent ten men to the plate and scored five runs after the Mets had given the Long Island native a 3-0 lead. The inning featured five hits and two walks and when Bryan Reynolds flied out to end the inning, the Pirates had taken a 5-3 lead.

Reynolds walked to start the frame, then the Bucs reeled off four straight hits. Starling Marte singled to put two men on. Josh Bell followed with a sharp single to plate the Bucs’ first run. It was Bell’s league-leading 89th RBI of the year. Jose Osuna singled for the second run of the inning and that was followed by a long double to center by Melky Cabrera that plated two and give the Pirates the lead, 4-3. Elias Diaz singled to center to score Cabrera that ended the Pirate onslaught and give them a lead they would never surrender.

Mickey Callaway, who mentioned in the post-game that Matz was leaving pitches up throughout the frame, removed his starter after the five runs had scored and Robert Gsellman came in. Gellman pitched 2.1 effective innings allowing no runs and no hits.

Tyler Bashlor entered the game in the seventh and gave up three runs to put the game out of reach. The Mets had just closed to 5-4 in the top of the frame but Bashlor allowed two singles (to Kevin Newman and Bryan Reynolds) to start things off. Marte followed with a 3-run home run to right to make the score 8-4 which was the final.

Jeurys Familia pitched the eighth and loaded the bases but did not allow a run to score.

Offense

The Mets managed nine hits against the Pirates on Friday.

New York looked good early as they had Williams in trouble for a good part of the first three innings. They scored two in the first inning to take an early lead. On the first pitch of the game, Jeff McNeil stroked a double to right, his 28th two-bagger of the year. With one-out Pete Alonso also doubled to plate McNeil . It was Alonso’s 22nd double and 78th RBI.

Robinson Cano followed with a single, moving Alonso to third. The rookie scored on a soft grounder off the bat of Wilson Ramos (his 49th RBI of the year) to make the score 2-0. The Mets left two men on base in the first.

In the second, Amed Rosario led off with a single, and was sacrificed to second by Matz. But some questionable base-running ensued as Rosario tried to steal third and was erased by catcher Diaz.

The Mets made it 3-0 in the third. Alonso led off with a walk followed by a single by Cano, his second hit of the game. With one out, and runners on first and second, J.D. Davis doubled to plate Cano. It was Davis’ 13th double of the year and 30th RBI. But the Mets, who had runners on second and third, could not get the clutch hit to break the game open.

Williams settled down and retired eleven Mets in a row to end his evening. Francisco Liriano came into pitch for Pittsburgh and gave up an unearned run in the seventh. After singles by Michael Conforto and Pete Alonso put two men on, Cano sent a bloop to shallow center. Shortstop Newman was unable to reach the ball and it fell for what was scored (somewhat harshly) as an error. Conforto scored to make the score 5-4. But once again the Mets failed to get the clutch hit to tie the game or perhaps go-ahead.

Rosario, Cano and Alonso each had two hits for the Mets on Friday.

On Deck

The Mets look to start another winning streak Saturday night in the middle game of the series. RHP Marcus Stroman (6-11, 2.96 ERA) will make his debut for the Mets. Stroman was acquired three day before the trade deadline for two minor league prospects.

Chris Archer (3-8, 5.58 ERA) will take the hill for the Pirates. He gave up six runs in the first inning against the Mets on Sunday, a game the Mets went on to win, 8-7. Archer has allowed 10 runs over 11 innings in his last two starts.

First pitch is at 7:05 PM. It will be televised by SNY and broadcast by WCBS 880-AM.