Flushing, NY – Pedro Alvarez smacked a three-run homer and Garret Jones added a two-run blast to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 10-6 triumph over the New York Mets on Tuesday.
Alvarez finished the game with four RBI and Jones knocked in three while Josh Harrison added two hits and a pair for RBI for the Pirates, who kept their slim playoff hopes alive. Pittsburgh trails the St. Louis Cardinals by 7 1/2 games for the final NL wild card spot.
"I wish that record-wise we would be doing a little better in the standings, but this is just one of those things that when the year is over I'll be able to reflect on," said Alvarez, who hit a career-high 30 homers this year. "But right now we are just trying to win some ball games."
A Cardinals' win or a Pirates' loss will eliminate Pittsburgh from wild card contention.
Wandy Rodriguez (12-13) surrendered three runs on four hits and struck out three over six innings to pick up his third win in five starts. Rodriguez hasn't lost since Aug. 24.
Justin Turner and David Wright hit back-to-back homers and Ruben Tejada had two hits and scored twice for the Mets, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.
Collin McHugh (0-3) was charged with the loss after giving up seven runs on five hits in just 1 1/3 innings.
"I truly believe he has run out of gas," Mets manager Terry Collins said of McHugh. "You accumulate all the innings he has this year, pitching in September for the first time. His stuff is not as crisp as his first outing."
The Pirates raced to a 4-0 lead in the first. With the bases loaded, Gaby Sanchez lined into a force out to score Harrison before Alvarez smoked a three-run homer to left-center field, his 30th of the season.
Turner and Wright cranked back-to-back shots in the home half to make it 4-3. Tejada opened the frame with a single and Turner followed with his second homer of the year. Wright then smacked a solo shot over the center field wall.
Pittsburgh plated three more in the second to push its advantage to 7-3. With two on, Jose Tabata ripped a triple to right-center field before coming around on Turner's fielding error.
The Pirates added one more in the fifth when Alvarez drew a bases loaded walk.
New York's three-run seventh pulled the Mets within 8-6. Andres Torres doubled then scored when Jones bobbled Jose Valdespin's base hit. Following a Tejada walk and a Daniel Murphy groundout, Wright stroked a singled to right-center field to clear the bases.
Wright's base hit tied him with Ed Kranepool atop the Mets all-time hits list with 1,418.
"You would like to do these type of things in wins, but I am proud that I was able to tie it, and hopefully break it tomorrow," Wright said.
Jones' two-run blast in the ninth capped the scoring.
Game Notes
The Pirates are 69-0 when leading after eight innings ... Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen has hit safely in seven straight games, and 10 of his last 11 ... The Mets have homered in seven straight games at Citi Field.
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