James McCann, Kevin Pillar save Mets with late home runs to power wild extra-innings win over Reds

For the second straight day, it appeared the Mets were going to pull out a win thanks to a late go-ahead home run. Then Edwin Diaz’s struggles continued.

After James McCann hit a pinch-hit, two-run home in the eighth inning to give the Mets a one-run lead, Diaz blew his third consecutive save opportunity when Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jesse Winker connected for a RBI double with two outs in the ninth inning.

Fortunately for the Mets, the bats weren’t done. After they took a one-run lead in the top of the 11th inning, Kevin Pillar launched a three-run home run to the seats in left field. Michael Conforto followed that with his second home run of the game, and the Mets held on for a wild 15-11 win over the Reds in 11 innings on Monday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

McCann also had a RBI single in the 10th inning that briefly put the Mets up 10-9, but the Reds tied it again in the bottom half of the inning.

Conforto’s second home run was the Mets’ seventh of the game, making it the fourth time the team has reached that mark in franchise history.

The late rallies by both teams capped off a game highlighted by some sloppy fielding and wild momentum swings both ways. After the Mets went up 3-0 in the top of the first inning, the Reds responded with four runs in the bottom half.

The Reds pushed the lead to 7-3 by the end of the second inning, but the Mets chipped away to tie the game in the top of the fifth. Winker hit a RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning to put the Reds back up by a run before McCann came off the bench with his clutch home run.

The Mets scored three runs before the Reds recorded an out in the first inning, with Pete Alonso knocking a two-run home run to left field before Jeff McNeil went back-to-back with a solo shot.

But after an embarrassing fielding gaffe cost the Mets early against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, the defense wasn’t much better to start Monday’s game.

Three potential double-play balls in the first two innings all ended with no outs being recorded due to errors. Luis Guillorme, playing shortstop with Francisco Lindor on the IL, booted a tailor-made grounder in the first, allowing the Reds to score their first run. A two-run double by Tyler Naquin and a sacrifice fly by Shogo Akiyama put the Reds up 4-3.

Winker reached on a fielder’s choice with one out in the second inning when McNeil yanked a throw to second base, erasing the chance for a double play. On the next batter, Guillorme booted a ground ball while trying to make a force out at third, and he made things worse when he swiped at the ball and sent it toward the wall in foul territory. The shortstop was charged with two errors on the play as Jonathan India scored.

Joey Votto added a RBI single in the second inning, and Naquin plated another run with an infield single to push the Reds’ lead to 7-3.

The Mets pulled within 7-6 with a three-run fourth inning. Conforto hit a two-run home run, and Alonso added a RBI single. Dominic Smith tied the game at 7-7 in the fifth inning with a solo home run.

Jerad Eickhoff was responsible for all seven Reds runs over the first two innings, though only two were earned. He pitched 3.2 innings, where he allowed six hits while striking out three and walking one.

Next up

Tuesday: TBA vs. LHP Wade Miley (7-4, 2.80) 7:10 p.m.

Wednesday: RHP Marcus Stroman (6-8, 2.79) vs. RHP Jeff Hoffman (3-4, 4.61), 12:35 p.m.

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