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03/28 22:34 CDT Mets rally past the Pirates 4-2 on a 3-run homer by Luis Robert Jr. in the 11th inning Mets rally past the Pirates 4-2 on a 3-run homer by Luis Robert Jr. in the 11th inning By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) --- Luis Robert Jr. hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the New York Mets a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. Luis Torrens delivered a tying single in the 10th on his first swing this season, and the Mets improved to 2-0 following an 11-7 victory on Thursday over Paul Skenes and the Pirates in their opener. After starters Mitch Keller and David Peterson matched zeros in 42-degree weather, Nick Gonzales lined an RBI single for Pittsburgh with one out in the 10th to break a scoreless tie. Mets reliever Luis Garcia prevented further damage by retiring Jake Mangum with the bases loaded. Bryan Reynolds put the Pirates ahead again with a two-out infield single in the 11th before Richard Lovelady (1-0) struck out Gonzales with runners at the corners. Jorge Polanco worked a leadoff walk in the bottom half from rookie left-hander Hunter Barco (0-1), who pitched out of a huge jam in the 10th to extend the game in his third major league appearance. With automatic runner Bo Bichette also aboard at second, Robert reached down and drove a 1-0 slider over the left-center fence for his first homer with the Mets and the second walk-off shot of his career. The center fielder from Cuba, acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a January trade, also had two RBI singles Thursday in his New York debut. Pittsburgh finished 2 for 18 with runners in scoring position and stranded 17. Mangum's ninth-inning double was the only extra-base hit in the game until Roberts went deep. Following the Mets' offseason makeover, the 30-year-old Peterson became the team's longest-tenured player. The left-hander, a first-time All-Star last season before fading in the second half, allowed six singles and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. He pitched around a throwing error by Bichette, switching from shortstop to third base this year, and induced a popup from new Pirates cleanup batter Marcell Ozuna on a 2-0 fastball with the bases loaded to end the fifth. Keller was even better, permitting just three singles and no walks in six innings. The right-hander, an All-Star in 2023, has a 1.79 ERA in seven starts against New York.

Up next Mets rookie right-hander Nolan McLean (5-1, 2.06 ERA) makes his season debut Sunday in the series finale. RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (5-8, 3.55) pitches for Pittsburgh. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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