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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The field at PNC Park is covered during a rain storm at a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

New York Mets pitcher Jefry Yan (84) tags out Pittsburgh Pirates' Jared Triolo who was attempting to score on a wild pitch during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

New York Mets pitcher Zac Thornton delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

New York Mets' Marcus Semien (10) celebrates with Jared Young, left, and Carson Benge, back right, after hitting a three-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

New York Mets' Marcus Semien hits a three-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Josh Bell went 4 for 5 with a homer and Kaelen Culpepper also went deep in his major league debut as the Minnesota Twins erased a four-run deficit and beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 on Friday night.

Minnesota trailed 4-0 after two innings before scoring two runs each in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth. It was the biggest lead Milwaukee has blown in a loss all season.

The Twins scored twice with two outs in the sixth to break a 6-all tie. After Antonio Senzatela (9-3) retired the first two batters he faced, Ryan Jeffers and Royce Lewis hit consecutive doubles. Bell singled home Lewis for his third RBI of the night.

Milwaukee wasted a couple of chances to rally.

The Brewers left the bases loaded in the seventh when Jeff Hoffman struck out Luis Lara. Milwaukee had runners on first and second in the eighth before Jackson Chourio grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Yoendrys Gómez retired the side in the order in the ninth for his 16th save in 16 opportunities.

Twins starter Zebby Matthews (5-8) left with a blister in his right foot after coming out for the start of the sixth inning. He allowed six runs — three earned — and seven hits in five innings.

Chourio hit a solo shot in the first inning for his third homer in his last four games. An error by Lewis led to three unearned Brewers runs in the second.

Bell cut Milwaukee’s lead in half by hitting a two-run homer with two outs in the third. Culpepper added a solo shot on an 0-2 pitch in the fourth inning.

The Twins tied it later in the fourth on Austin Martin’s RBI double. Ryan Kreidler tried scoring all the way from first for the go-ahead run, but he was thrown out at the plate.

Minnesota took the lead anyway an inning later by scoring twice more, but Milwaukee tied it back up with two runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Milwaukee's Shane Drohan allowed nine hits and six runs in five innings.

Taj Bradley (9-4, 3.69 ERA) pitches for the Twins and Robert Gasser (3-4, 4.48) starts for the Brewers on Saturday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio gestures as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Minnesota Twins' Kaelen Culpepper flips his bat after hitting a solo home run for his first career hit and home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Luis Lara (18) reacts after striking out during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Minnesota Twins' Josh Bell gestures as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Minnesota Twins' Josh Bell gestures as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)