Kevin Pillar's 12th-inning, three-run homer lifts Mets over Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — The Mets needed this one — and eventually got it.

Kevin Pillar’s three-run home run off Tyler Chatwood in the top of the 12th inning was enough for a 6-2 victory over the Giants, helping the Mets snap a five-game losing streak and avoid getting swept again.

About halfway through a two-week gauntlet against the top teams in the National League, San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Mets are 1-5. Now they visit the Dodgers for a four-game series, then host the Giants for another three.

This win "without a doubt," Pillar said, allows the Mets (60-60) to breathe easier.

"Everyone is going to sleep a little bit better tonight," he said. "We had opportunities to win, we just could not finish games. To see the scoreboard at the end of the game with the Mets up and a W in the win column means a lot to this team. It’s something that we’ll enjoy the rest of today."

The Mets scored six runs for just the second time since July 23. They had one run in the first nine innings (and one runner in scoring position in the first eight).

Four runs against Chatwood, the Giants’ ninth pitcher of the day after getting called up Tuesday, made it look like a bigger day. Chance Sisco added an RBI double after Pillar’s blast.

All that came hours after owner Steve Cohen’s critique via Twitter that read in part: "It’s hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive. The best teams have a more disciplined approach."

Manager Luis Rojas did not want to attribute the late offensive success to Cohen’s message. "Listen, we got going offensively later in the game," he said. "We started swinging the bats better in the ninth inning. That’s when we showed up offensively . . . I want to attribute the win to our pitchers. They gave us a chance, kept us in the game."

Pillar added: "We came out with the right attitude today. We talked about it amongst each other, executing a little bit more, having a little bit more attention to detail."

The Mets tied it in the final frame of regulation, against Jake McGee. Pete Alonso was hit by a pitch, moved to third on Michael Conforto’s single and scored on J.D. Davis’ sacrifice fly.

Alonso, who was in obvious discomfort after getting hit in the left elbow, left the game after the top of the ninth. X-rays were negative, Rojas said.

On a day when Seth Lugo and Aaron Loup were unavailable, Edwin Diaz tossed two scoreless innings, his longest outing of the year. Rojas stuck with him after a seven-pitch ninth.

"How effective he was in the ninth gave him a chance to come back in the 10th," Rojas said.

Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani left the game because of right ankle discomfort after just 1 1/3 innings, leading to a parade of non-brand name relievers who shut the Mets down until McGee blew the save.

San Francisco used 23 players, which meant Chatwood batted for himself, striking out against Jake Reed for the last out of the game.

Rookie righthander Tylor Megill limited San Francisco to one run and five hits in six innings, his best start this month. He struck out six and walked two. The Giants strung together three consecutive hits, including LaMonte Wade Jr.’s RBI double, to sneak a run across in the third inning.

The Mets hope this win can mark the start of a turnaround. But the next week will be difficult.

"Every win can get you going," Rojas said. "We want to carry that over to tomorrow."