Kodai Senga | New York Mets | May 2025 | Photo by Gabrielle Raucci, On NJ Sports

May 14, 2025

Senga haunts Pirates, Baty knocks another in Mets’ 2-1 win

Baby Mets , BB7 , Believe in Baty , Brett Baty , Kodai Senga , LGM , Major League Baseball , Mets , MLB , New York Mets , NYM

Mets Outlast Pirates in 2-1 Win: Baty Goes Deep, Senga Goes Long

The Mets continued their winning ways at Citi Field, clinching a series victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a tense 2-1 win.

Kodai Senga battled through traffic to keep the game in check, while Brett Baty’s late-game heroics propelled New York to their 28th win of the season.

3️⃣ in a row! #MetsWin #LGM pic.twitter.com/qHCgPt5vQs

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 14, 2025

Senga Dances Around Danger

Kodai Senga opened the game by establishing his fastball and dealing with that disgusting ghost fork, giving him a 1-2-3 first inning.

The trouble started in the second when Ke’Bryan Hayes took advantage of Tyrone Taylor‘s misstep, lining a triple to left center to set up an early Pirates’ lead. But Senga was unfazed. A shallow pop-up and an unhittable forkball-loaded strikeout to Jared Triolo ended the threat.

Kodai Senga? More like Kodai Cy-Younga! pic.twitter.com/iCoBmnxseG

— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) May 14, 2025

In the third, a single and a misplay (and gaping hole in the web of his glove) by Mark Vientos at third put runners on second and third with one out. Once again, Senga pulled out the magic, making Isiah Kiner-Falefa foul four times, swinging off that forkball, and getting a grounder from Vientos to Pete Alonso to escape unscathed.

The Ghost Fork Haunts

The fourth brought more drama—walk, single, corners covered. But Senga dialed it up, punching out Alexander Canario, Triolo, and Ji Hwan Bae to leave two more stranded. The Pirates were then 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and Senga made it look intentional.

Kodai Senga strikes out three straight batters to get out of the jam! 👻 pic.twitter.com/SoAI43kKPa

— MLB (@MLB) May 14, 2025

When his night finally ended in the sixth after a one-out double, he had managed 5.2 innings of one-run ball, seven strikeouts, and kept Pittsburgh 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Of the 102 pitches he’d thrown, 68 were strikes. His ERA is now sitting at 1.22, leading the National League by a wide margin.

Kodai Senga, Unhittable 84mph Ghost Fork. 👻🍴 pic.twitter.com/EMBeiTqGAo

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 13, 2025

Nimmo Strikes First, Baty Delivers Late

Juan Soto set the tone offensively by singling and swiping second in the first inning, and Brandon Nimmo brought him home with a double to the left-center gap. That 1-0 lead held for a while as Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller settled in, mowing through the Mets’ lineup and holding Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso hitless on the night.

Keller was locked in, but so was Baty. The call-up, playing second base for most of the night, singled to right in the fifth to break up Keller’s rhythm but was left stranded.

His moment came two innings later. With a 1-1 count, Baty turned on a Keller changeup and flicked it the opposite way, just over the left field wall for a go-ahead solo shot. The 365-foot blast gave the Mets the 2-1 edge they wouldn’t relinquish.

Baty through the rain! 😤 pic.twitter.com/nHPWSlUYQw

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 14, 2025

Over his last five games: .462 AVG | 1.846 OPS | 4 HR | 7 RBI. He is the truth.

Closing It Out the Hard Way

Max Kranick (who entered in the 7th to relieve Reed Garrett) and Ryne Stanek kept things tight through the seventh and eighth, but Edwin Díaz made it interesting in the ninth.

After a walk and a wide throw from Lindor put two runners in scoring position and the lead on the line, Diaz reared back, freezing Reynolds on a fastball down the middle before getting Joey Bart to bounce out to end the game.

Edwin Díaz. Save. 🎺🎺 pic.twitter.com/vi2U0MtJrS

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 14, 2025

Diaz’s save wasn’t without drama, but it showcased the Mets’ resilience and ability to lock down close games. With a 10-8 record in one-run games, they continue to prove that they can win in any situation.

Baty’s Breakout Continues

With his go-ahead home run, Brett Baty now has four in his last five starts since being recalled.

Manager Carlos Mendoza highlighted the difference in postgame: “Confidence. A guy that knows he belongs in the big leagues and just having fun.“

Baty’s adjustments at the plate have paid off, as he’s focusing on attacking hittable pitches early instead of falling behind. His preparation with high-velo machines and unpredictable BP has given him a game-ready mindset.

Brett Baty https://t.co/YCbB5Bf3ZL

— LFGM (@LGM_NYR) May 13, 2025

“It’s just the game,“ Baty said. “There’s a lot of highs and lows, you just gotta be the same guy every single day.”

See: Brett Baty is Big League (From March 22, 2025) (Cough, cough)

I’m really soaking it all in, honestly. I believe in Brett Baty, and I love nothing more than being right. At this point, you could call me an oracle. Brett Baty is the truth.

Series Sweep Ahead

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Mets found a way. Senga’s ability to escape jams, Baty’s clutch power, and the bullpen’s ability to bend but not break sealed the deal. The Mets improve to 28-15 on the season, with a 17-4 record at home, keeping momentum on their side as they look to sweep the series on Wednesday.