Errors hurt Mets in 7th straight loss

New York

Josh Bell hit a two-run homer, Gregory Polanco also went deep and the Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of some dreadful defense by the New York Mets to snap a five-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory Monday night.

In a series opener between tumbling teams, Pittsburgh built a five-run lead and held on to hand the Mets their seventh straight defeat before a mostly quiet crowd of 22,135. New York is 6-24 in its past 30 games — and that 11-1 start to the season feels like ancient history.

Playing at home has hardly helped. The reeling Mets (31-45) have lost 14 of 15 at Citi Field, falling to 13-25 in their own ballpark this season.

Jameson Taillon (5-6) took a two-hit shutout into the seventh inning against a makeshift Mets lineup before New York tried to rally. Consecutive doubles by Jose Reyes and Kevin Plawecki chased Taillon, and a three-run homer by pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores off Tyler Glasnow trimmed Pittsburgh's lead to 5-4.

Steven Brault entered and threw seven straight balls before recovering to strike out Jose Bautista on a pitch in the dirt. Brault then got Asdrubal Cabrera to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Cabrera also committed an earlier error at second base.

Kyle Crick pitched out of trouble in the eighth, and Elias Diaz provided an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Felipe Vazquez struck out the side for his 15th save in 19 attempts.

Two errors in the first three innings by rookie third baseman Luis Guillorme — touted as a slick fielder — led directly to a pair of unearned runs against Mets starter Seth Lugo (2-3). Josh Harrison hit a sacrifice fly in the first, Polanco had a solo homer in the second and Diaz delivered a two-out RBI single in the third.

It was only the second home run since May 12 for Polanco, who came off the bench the previous three days.

Bell sliced a two-run shot into the left-field corner in the sixth, his first homer since May 31 at St. Louis. Bell has reached base safely in 15 consecutive games. He has three homers in four career games at Citi Field.

After managing only eight runs during their five-game skid, the Pirates reshuffled the top three hitters in their batting order. Leadoff man Starling Marte stole two bases and scored three times as Pittsburgh, which was in first place on May 17, won for just the 11th time in 35 games.

Roster move

Needing a fresh arm in the bullpen, the Mets recalled RHP Tyler Bashlor from Double-A Binghamton and optioned RHP Chris Flexen to Triple-A Las Vegas. The 25-year-old Bashlor was 0-3 with a 2.63 ERA and seven saves in 20 games with Binghamton this season. He made his major league debut in the sixth and worked two innings, giving up Bell's two-run homer.

Trainer's room

Mets: OF Brandon Nimmo didn't start because of a sore right pinkie after getting hit by a pitch on Sunday afternoon against the Dodgers. But an MRI showed no broken bones and he is day to day. "Real good news," a relieved manager Mickey Callaway said. Nimmo entered as a pinch-runner in the eighth and stayed in the game to play left field. ... Flores and 3B Todd Frazier were rested. Frazier lined out to center field as a pinch-hitter in the fifth.