The Mets season is barely two weeks old and theyve already seemingly gone from a team going out of its JaKarr Sampson Jersey way to find ways to lose to one that has shown a knack for winning tight games. It happened again Monday, as a day after Harrison Bader delivered a go-ahead hit with a dribbler in the bottom of the eighth against the Royals, he came through again in the eighth versus Pittsburgh, this time with a double to put the Mets ahead. The 6-3 comeback victory at Citi Field got the Mets to .500 on the season after they erased a three-run deficit in the sixth. Harrison Bader reacts to his go-ahead hit for the Met on Monday night. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST The winning rally started with Jeff McNeil reaching on a wild pitch on an Aroldis Chapman strikeout. DJ Stewart, who had previously knocked in the tying run in the sixth with a pinch-hit double, walked, and both runners stole off Chapman to set up Baders clutch hit that helped the Mets win for the fourth time in five games. Explore More The Mets have won three straight series to put their winle s start further back in the rearview mirror, now back to 8-8, while the surprising Pirates fell to 11-7. To start 0-5 and now were .500, were never gonna give up, Stewart said. Everyone can doubt us all they want, but we know what we have in here and were happy with what we have. Stewart was also careful not to put too much stock in their record. Its great to be [back at .500] now, but we dont want to be .500, Stewart said. We want to be way above that. Mets outfielder DJ Stewart hits an RBI double to tie the game in the sixth inning on Monday. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST And theyre playing well against solid competition and they are playing well late in games, with an MLB-high 30 runs in the eighth inning or later. I think the first few games of the year, we learned a lot about ourselves, Bader said. We learned more in [the series win] in Atlanta. We can chip away. Thats just what they did against the Pirates. Brett Baty reacts to a big single for the Mets on Monday night. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Adrian Houser and Pittsburgh lefty Martin Perez were locked in a pitchers duel, scorele s through five. Pittsburgh broke through against Houser in the sixth as the right-hander was finally burned by having walked five batters. An Andrew McCutchen RBI single scored the first run before Drew Smith allowed two inherited runners to score to put the Mets in a three-run hole. But the Mets answered right back. Adrian Houser delivers a pitch for the Mets against the Pirates on Monday night. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Starling Marte and Francisco Lindor started the bottom of the inning with hard-hit singles to bring up the red-hot Pete Alonso, but the first baseman popped out. Brett Baty singled to load the bases for Francisco Alvarez, who walked to drive in the Mets first run. McNeil followed with a fly ball to right, too shallow to score Lindor from third, but Connor Joe made an ill-conceived and wild throw to first and Lindor came home on the error to get the Mets to within a run. Stewart, pinch-hitting for Tyrone Taylor, then belted a game-tying double to right off right-hander Hunter Stratton. That was the game for me, right there, Carlos Mendoza said of his decision to go to the lefty-swinging Stewart. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Mets outfielder Harrison Bader (44) celebrates his go-ahead, two-run double during the eighth inning on Monday night. Robert Sabo for NY Post After the Mets got scorele s innings out of the bullpen by Brooks Raley and Adam Ottavino, they rallied again in the eighth. Bader followed his two-run double by swiping third and scoring on a fielders choice by Brandon Nimmo to give the Mets a 6-3 lead. It was good to see, Mendoza said of the rallies. Its important to have the ability to come back in games. The last time they were at .500 or better was June 4, when they were 30-30. Things went south after that last season. Ex-Mets players Mookie Wilson and Butch Hu sey (last Met to wear 42) hand a bouquet of flowers in honor of Jackie Robinson Day to Jack Robinsons wife Rachel on Monday night. Jason Szenes for New York Post Mendoza, understandably, isnt looking too far ahead. We got off to a rough start, but weve got a long way to go, Mendoza said. I like where we are as a team. Reggie Miller Jersey