Recap: Pittsburgh vs. NY Mets
Sports Network | August 16, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Pedro Martinez was sharp in seven innings of one-run ball, giving the Mets his best start of the season and a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the second installment of a four-game series from PNC Park.
Martinez (4-3) gave up eight hits with one walk and four strikeouts to snap a four-start winless streak since returning from an extended stint on the disabled list with a strained hamstring.
Jose Reyes and Ramon Castro had two hits and two RBI with a run scored and home run each for the Mets, who have won five straight and eight of 10 to take a 1 1/2 game lead over Philadelphia in the NL East. The Phillies play later Saturday in San Diego.
Andy LaRoche had two hits including a home run while Jack Wilson was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Pittsburgh, which has dropped four of its last five.
Zach Duke (4-11) was roughed up for six runs on nine hits over six innings while striking out two to suffer his seventh loss in his past 12 starts. The struggling left-hander hasn't recorded a win since June 9.
New York jumped out to an early lead for the second straight day. Reyes hit a leadoff home run to start and Carlos Beltran doubled in David Wright, who singled, later in the inning. Two batters later Fernando Tatis made it 3-0 with a two-out RBI single.
The Mets added to their lead in the second. Martinez singled to right with one away and chugged home on a triple to deep center by Reyes.
Castro further extended New York's lead with a two-run, sixth-inning blast over the left field wall.
The Pirates finally got to Martinez in the seventh. Andy LaRoche led off with a home run to left and Brandon Moss and Steve Pearce reached base on a walk and single, respectively. Martinez, however, battled back to get Wilson on a pop-up and pinch-hitter Doug Mientkiewicz and Nate McLouth both on fly outs.
The Mets quickly erased Pittsburgh's run in the eighth. Carlos Delgado singled to right with one away and Romulo Sanchez walked three of the next four batters to force in a run.
Eddie Kunz took the mound in the ninth for what seemed like a decided outcome but Moss and Pearce reached again and Wilson smacked an RBI double to right, moving Pearce to third. After recording the first out, Kunz unleashed a wild pitch to score Pearce and McLouth lined an RBI single to center, scoring Wilson to make it 7-4.
Joe Smith came on and allowed a single through the left side to Freddy Sanchez and Pedro Feliciano took over on the mound. Feliciano got Ryan Doumit on a fly out and Adam LaRoche on a groundout to end the game and record his second save of the season for a beleaguered Mets bullpen.
New York took the season series lead 3-2 with the win while the Mets took four of six matchups last season, including two of three at PNC Park...Sunday's scheduled starters are Johan Santana (10-7) for New York and Jeff Karstens (2-1) for Pittsburgh...Mets closer Billy Wagner will not return to the Mets bullpen Monday as scheduled. Wagner, recovering from a left forearm strain, threw a simulated game at PNC Park Saturday and experienced stiffness in his left elbow...Wright extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the first.
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