Ian Snell is about the only thing making the Pirates remotely interesting these days. If the right-hander isn't subtly complaining about manager John Russell overusing him, he's accusing the opposition of cheating.
Snell pitched well but took the loss Sunday as the Pirates dropped an 8-4 decision to the Mets in New York for their eighth straight defeat and 12th in the last 13 games. He allowed three runs and six hits in six innings with one walk and five strikeouts but fell to 1-5. Perhaps Snell knew something or maybe he was just frustrated by another loss, but he claimed the Mets were stealing the signs of catcher Robinzon Diaz and relaying them to their hitters.
"They hit some good pitches but I found out later they knew what was coming," Snell said. "That's baseball, though. There is nothing wrong with it."
Snell did not explain how he knew the signs were being stolen but said he became suspicious that the Mets' hitters were getting tipped off when third baseman David Wright fouled out two good pitches before hitting an RBI single to begin a three-run third inning that wiped out the Pirates' 2-0 lead.
"It was like he was expecting those pitches," Snell said.
In his previous start, Snell insinuated that he gave up five in five innings in a loss to Milwaukee because Russell had allowed him to throw 131 pitches in seven innings six days earlier in a 1-0 loss to the Brewers. Snell was lifted after 102 pitches Sunday.
METS 8, PIRATES 4: Ian Snell (1-5) turned in a quality start, allowing three runs in six innings, but still took the loss as the Pirates dropped their eight straight game while being swept in the three-game series. Nate McLouth had a double, a home run and three RBIs for the Pirates and Robinzon Diaz had three hits.
