Pirates Snap Skid Behind Chandler, Big Night for Offense

PITTSBURGH — Bubba Chandler had one of his best starts and the Pirates‘ offense broke out in a 9-0 win over the Mets at PNC Park on Saturday night to snap a four-game skid. 

Bottom 1st, 3-0 PIT: The Pirates (58-61) struck for three early runs against Robert Stock (0-2). With the bases loaded and one out, Nick Gonzales plated Jake Mangum on a groundout to the right of the pitcher’s mound. Ronny Simon followed by keeping a ball fair inside the third base bag for a two-run double.

Bottom 3rd, 4-0 PIT: Simon bunted for a hit, stole second and raced home to score on Jacob Gonzalez’s single to right field.

Bottom 4th, 8-0 PIT: The first six men up to plate all reached safely and the Pirates struck for four more runs. Mangum doubled home Henry Davis and scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Later on, Gonzales plated a pair with a double to right.

Bottom 7th, 9-0 PIT: Brandon Lowe hit a solo home run off Mets catcher Luis Torrens, who was called upon in the seventh. The blast was Lowe’s team-high 25th this season.

The slumping Pirates’ offense needed a jolt and received one with a three-run first inning.

Bubba Chandler (5-8) delivered one of his best big-league starts. The right-hander fired six-shutout innings and prevented the Mets (51-67) from reaching scoring position at any point. He scattered three hits, walked one and struck out five.

After connecting off Mets catcher Luis Torrens in the seventh, Brandon Lowe now has 25 home runs and 25 doubles this season. The only other left-handed hitting Pirates to have 25-plus homers and 25-plus doubles in a season this century are: Brian Giles (2000-02), Adam LaRoche (2008), Nate McLouth (2008), Pedro Álvarez (2012) and Garrett Jones (2012).

• Bubba Chandler: 6.0 innings, three hits, no runs, one walk, five strikeouts, 85 pitches/58 strikes

• Brandon Lowe: 1 for 4, one home run, one walk, one RBI, one run

• Jake Mangum: 3 for 5, two doubles, one RBI, two runs, one steal

Bubba Chandler: 6.0 innings, three hits, no runs, one walk, five strikeouts, 85 pitches/58 strikes

Brandon Lowe: 1 for 4, one home run, one walk, one RBI, one run

Jake Mangum: 3 for 5, two doubles, one RBI, two runs, one steal

• Bubba Chandler is 2-0 with a 3.23 ERA in six starts since the beginning of June.

• Esmerlyn Valdez snapped an 0-for-19 slump with a base hit off Luis Torrens in the eighth. He had struck out 13 times but also walked 13 times during the skid.

• That was the Pirates’ first shutout since May 20.

• The Pirates out-hit the Mets 12-3. New York did not have a runner in scoring position all game.

• Endy Rodríguez was scratched from the original starting lineup with left hip discomfort. He was replaced by Henry Davis at catcher.

Bubba Chandler is 2-0 with a 3.23 ERA in six starts since the beginning of June.

Esmerlyn Valdez snapped an 0-for-19 slump with a base hit off Luis Torrens in the eighth. He had struck out 13 times but also walked 13 times during the skid.

That was the Pirates’ first shutout since May 20.

The Pirates out-hit the Mets 12-3. New York did not have a runner in scoring position all game.

Endy Rodríguez was scratched from the original starting lineup with left hip discomfort. He was replaced by Henry Davis at catcher.

RHP Jared Jones (2-3, 4.02 ERA) will look to lead the Pirates to a series win on Sunday afternoon. LHP Sean Manaea (3-5, 4.33 ERA) will try and do the same for the Mets. First pitch: 1:35 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh/93.7 The Fan.