Marcus Semien and Zac Thornton lead Mets to their 4th straight victory, 6-4 over sliding Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer, rookie Zac Thornton pitched five scoreless innings and the New York Mets matched a season high with their fourth straight win by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 on Friday night.

Semien’s second homer in two games and 14th of the season, a drive to left-center off Carmen Mlodzinski, capped a four-run third that put the Mets ahead 5-0. New York, last in the NL East, swept a three-game series in Cleveland before busing to Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

Thornton (3-2) allowed four hits while striking out three and walking two. The left-hander remained in the game following a 36-minute rain delay in the top of the third.

Pittsburgh got two runs in the seventh and then two more in the ninth off closer Devin Williams, but a pair of baserunning mistakes cost the Pirates as they tried to rally.

Semien made a sliding stop at second base of Bryan Reynolds' grounder with a runner aboard to end it.

Mets rookie outfielder Carson Benge was removed with left wrist soreness in the bottom of the fourth, one inning after sliding into the wall in the left-field corner while catching a flyball hit by Ronny Simon.

Benge was replaced by Cristian Pache with the Mets leading 6-0. Benge helped New York build the lead with a pair of run-scoring singles.

Making his first start since May 25, Mlodzinski (6-4) was tagged for five runs and seven hits in three innings. Mlodzinski returned to the rotation from the bullpen after Mitch Keller sustained a season-ending right shoulder injury in his previous start.

A.J. Ewing, another rookie outfielder, had three hits and scored twice for the Mets. Ewing led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Benge, who also singled home a run in the third before Semien homered. Francisco Lindor added an RBI single in the fourth.

The Pirates, who are 4-11 since the All-Star break, got two hits each from Reynolds, Nick Gonzales, Simon and Jared Triolo.

Mets RHP Robert Stock (0-1, 1.80 ERA) faces rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (4-8, 4.49) on Saturday night.

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