WATCH: Pirates skipper Derek Shelton ejected following heated argument with umpire John Tumpane over a strike call

After losing their last two series, the Pittsburgh Pirates started their four-game series with the New York Mets on Friday with a terrific 14-2 victory. The club showcased its prowess, hitting seven homers in the game at their home stadium.

However, the Pirates struggled in the second game of their series on Saturday at PNC Park. By the sixth inning, they were trailing the Mets 5-2. They garnered a chance to counter in the seventh inning as all their bases were loaded.

After a throwing error and two walks, the bases were loaded for the Pirates. Pinch hitter Jack Suwinski took the plate, replacing Connor Joe, against Reed Garrett.

Home plate umpire John Tumpane made controversial strike calls on 1-0 and 3-1 pitches against Suwinski, which Awful Announcing on X/Twitter described as 'Horrible calls'.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton was not happy about the calls and confronted the umpire after the second one. In the clip shared, Shelton can be seen furious with the ump’s decision and coming onto the field to argue with him.

After arguing with Tumpane and getting ejected, Shelton went to the clubhouse. Suwinski had a 3-2 count and ended the inning with a swinging strike, missing the opportunity to score.

Neither team could score any more runs after the seventh inning, ultimately making the Mets, who were in the lead, the victors of the game.

Pirates' inconsistent offense and pitching woes led to a 5-2 loss against the Mets

Saturday’s game ended with a 5-2 loss for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the New York Mets at PNC Park. Mets' Luis Torrens hit a double in the third inning off Dennis Santana with the bases loaded, giving them a three-run lead.

The Pirates' offense responded with Oneil Cruz's 13th homer of the season in the fourth inning, bringing in two runs. Jose Iglesias's double and Harrison Bader's sacrifice fly added two more runs for the Mets in the sixth inning.

After that, both teams' bats went cold, resulting in the final score of the game. The Pirates (42-46) are ranked third in the NL Central, while the Mets (43-44) share the same rank in the NL East. Both teams will face each other again on Sunday in the third game of their series.