Flores, Mets beat Bucs 4-3 in 10 innings to stop skidding

NEW YORK (AP) – Eager to win after an emotion – filled day at Citi Field, the New York Mets sent the man on his team in the 10th inning.

Wilmer Flores dominated the deciding race and the Mets stopped their series of seven defeats on Tuesday night, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 hours after chief executive Sandy Alderson resigned because his cancer came back.

"We really wanted to focus and make sure to bounce back today, every day, and play a little better," said outfielder Michael Conforto. & # 39; & # 39; I think we showed a little fight there. & # 39; & # 39;

In a match that was difficult after a hard blow to second base, Conforto made a home run and Flores got three RBIs for the Mets (32-45), who won for the second time in 16 games at home. They had lost 24 out of 30 during a frantic skid that wiped out an early season of 11-1.

New York has won three victories this year and Flores has provided the latest impetus to each and every one of them. He leads the majors with nine points produced since 2014, which corresponds to David Wright for the story of Mets.

"It was hard to play outside, but you have to focus," Flores said. & # 39; & # 39; Sandy is one of us and we support him 100% and hope that he will get better ".

Before the match, the players said that Alderson, 70, was a little collapsed when addressing the club team. During the surprise press conference that followed, his voice trembled when he spoke of his illness.

He and the chief of operations, Jeff Wilpon, announced that Alderson was taking a leave. Alderson said his prognosis is good, but he does not expect to return to work, in part because he's not sure that the return is justified.

Deputy General Manager John Ricco and Special Assistants JP Ricciardi and Omar Minaya will lead the club's baseball operations in the absence of Alderson, diagnosed with cancer at the end of the 2015 season – when the Mets have reached the World Series. At the time, he was operated on and underwent chemotherapy, but continued to work full time.

"Honestly, I'm here – we're all here – because he believed in us," said Mets pitcher Steven Matz. & # 39; & # 39; And I think for myself personally, especially now in these circumstances, I want to prove that he was right. So yes, there was certainly an additional emotion to hear this news.

The two canoes and shelters were emptied in the eighth, when the spirits ignited after a clean throw from Josh Harrison that prevented the Mets from turning a double game at the end of the round.

Harrison went straight into the bag, forcing second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera to jump over him while he was performing a weak stint of a jump to the first base that was too late.

& # 39; & # 39; I do not think I've even touched it, "I said. Harrison said. & # 39; & # 39; Broke a double game without touching the guy or hurting the guy. At the end of the day, I think it's playing the right game. "

Reliever Jeurys Familia said something to Harrison, however, and both began to chew back and forth. As the players rushed to the field, Familia and Harrison – a second baseman himself – were separated. Cabrera looked for Harrison and gave him a big hug during the brief skirmish, an obvious recognition that he had no problem with the slide.

& # 39; & # 39; It's over and done, "Harrison said. I think what (Familia) saw was just the last part. He could have turned around and seen Cabrera hobbling. It was nothing because I contacted him. & # 39; & # 39;

No fist was fired, and Familia was pumped when he launched a base-loaded threat.

& # 39; & # 39; Maybe it was a good thing we cleaned the benches. Shown a bit of fighting and fire, "said Mets director Mickey Callaway.

Conforto got a 10-point lead from Steven Brault (5-2) and was second when Todd Frazier scored. Cabrera opened the scoring for the first exit, but Flores hit a shot just inside the third base to hit Conforto.

Tim Peterson (1-0) earned three out of five shots for his first major league win.

Gregory Polanco made his homo for the second consecutive game and earned a singles for the Pirates, who lost six out of seven.

Conforto went deep into the seventh, connecting reliever Edgar Santana. New York also got seven effective Matz innings and a fine defense of 37-year-old right fielder Jose Bautista.

Flores grounded a single two-point with two outs in the first to give the Mets ahead. They took advantage of a pair of Chad Kuhl's wild shots that overtook receiver Elias Diaz, who also made two errors in the inning.

The story continues