Led by 2-run homers by Starling Marte, Harrison Bader, Mets sweep Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are dealing with their share of problems, but none is more glaring than their sudden offensive ineffectiveness.

The New York Mets held the Pirates to five hits — none over the final four innings — and got two-run homers by Starling Marte and Harrison Bader for a 9-1 win Wednesday afternoon at CitiField to sweep the three-game series.

It marked the first series sweep against the Pirates since the San Francisco Giants won three games July 14-16 at PNC Park. After a 9-2 start to the season, the Pirates (11-8) have lost six of their past eight games. They are off Thursday, then play the Boston Red Sox on Friday to start a seven-game homestand.

“We have to have better at-bats,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “Up until this series, we’ve had pretty consistent at-bats. Then this series we got pitched to. We need to make an adjustment. It’s probably a good time for an off day.”

After collecting 10 hits in a 9-2 win Sunday at the Philadelphia Phillies, the Pirates managed 13 hits — only one for extra bases — and scored five runs in three games in Queens. They had the lead in all three games.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Henry Davis reached on catcher’s interference when his swing hit Francisco Alvarez on the left hand. Davis advanced to second on Alika Williams’ single off Luis Severino (2-1) up the middle and to third when Oneil Cruz hit into a 4-6-3 double play, then scored on a dribbler to short by Bryan Reynolds.

The Mets (10-8) answered in the bottom of the third, when Zack Short drew a leadoff walk and Marte smashed a 1-2 curveball 383 feet to left-center for a two-run homer to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. It was the third homer surrendered by Pirates starter Bailey Falter this season and also marked the first by Marte in 10 games against his former team.

The Pirates continued to struggle with runners in scoring position, going 1 for 6 and stranding runners at second base in the second, third, fourth and fifth, when Connor Joe grounded into his second inning-ending double play.

Falter was finished after retiring the side in the fifth. The lefty allowed two runs on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts, throwing 47 of his 73 pitches for strikes.

“He was solid again,” Shelton said. “We got him through. He did a nice job. We’ve got to hold that game to 2-1.”

But the bullpen surrendered seven runs.

Hunter Stratton allowed four in the sixth, giving up a leadoff single to Francisco Lindor and walking Pete Alonso on four pitches. Both runners advanced on Jeff McNeil’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Tyrone Taylor’s two-run single through short. Bader belted Stratton’s next pitch, a belt-high cutter, 392 feet to left for a two-run homer and 6-1 lead.

The Mets added another run in the ninth against David Bednar, who walked Pete Alonso and gave up a double to McNeil. Alvarez hit a sharp grounder to second, and Williams threw a strike to home plate but Alonso slid under Davis’ tag to score for a 7-1 lead. Taylor singled to load the bases, but Bednar got Bader looking and Short swinging before reaching his 30-pitch limit.

Lefty Josh Fleming replaced Bednar but gave up a two-run single to Brandon Nimmo as the Mets increased their lead to 9-1.

“I think we’ve got to be more aggressive,” Shelton said. “We’re taking too many balls in the zone for strikes. When you have some young hitters, then get into the fact that they’re getting pitched to a little bit, their nature is to get the perfect pitch. We don’t have to get the perfect pitch. … We’ve got to get back to what we were doing early in the year, just moving the ball forward.”