MMO Game Thread: Pirates vs Mets, 1:10 PM

Saturday, July 11, 2021 • 1:10 P.M.
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
RHP Chase De Jong vs. LHP Aaron Loup
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • WQBU 92.7 FM

Yesterday was an odd one for the Mets – splitting a double header. The “how” the Mets split the double header was the strange part. The Mets should have been more dominant in the first game but Stroman and the bullpen struggled and the Mets allowed 6 runs and could only score 2 runs against Tyler Anderson.

But the night cap was a different story! Tylor Megill was great and the Mets offense got a couple of big hits to hold onto the game by the score of 4-2. Highlights include an Alonso homer and a 10 pitch inning with three strikeouts from Edwin Diaz to close out the game. Now the Mets will try to take the series this afternoon before heading into the All-Star break.

Mets Lineup

1. Brandon Nimmo – CF

2. Francisco Lindor– SS

3. Dominic Smith– LF

4. Pete Alonso– 1B

5. Jeff McNeil– 2B

6. Michael Conforto– RF

7. Jonathan Villar– 3B

8. James McCann– C

9. Aaron Loup– P

Pirates Lineup

1. Adam Frazier– 2B

2. Kevin Newman– SS

3. Bryan Reynolds– CF

4. John Nogowski– 1B

5. Ben Gamel– LF

6. Wilmer Difo– RF

7. Rodolfo Castro– 3B

8. Michael Perez-C

9. Chase De Jong– P

It’s going to be a bullpen day for the Mets! There was some talk, mostly just hope from fans, that deGrom would get a start on short rest today but that’s not happening. The Mets are going to start with Aaron Loup who has been fantastic this year. In 30 games and 26.0 innings he has a 1.73 ERA, 1.52 FIP, 1.000 WHIP and a 226 ERA+. He faced the Pirates yesterday and allowed only a walk in an inning of work. The most he has thrown was 3.0 innings on June 22nd against the Braves, but given that he just did an inning yesterday, I find it doubtful we’ll see Loup for longer than two innings, if that.

The Pirates are sending out Chase De Jong to close the series. Over 7 starts and and 33.2 innings this year he has a 5.08 ERA, 5.04 FIP, 1.545 WHIP and an 81 ERA+. He’s coming off of one of his better starts of season where he allowed 1 run from 4 hits and 3 walks from 5.0 innings. Before that he allowed 9 runs in 9.2 innings of work from two starts. The Mets have the following numbers against Chase: