Final Score: Pittsburgh 8, New York 4
Flushing, NY - Josh Phelps’ two-run home run capped a five- run sixth inning, as the Pittsburgh Pirates pounded the New York Mets, 8-4, to avoid a three-game sweep at Shea Stadium.
Xavier Nady finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and scored a run for Pittsburgh, which had lost 10 of 11 coming into the contest. Nate McLouth went 2-for-4 and scored a run in the win.
Lefty Paul Maholm (7-12), who also picked up the win in his last start on Saturday against Houston, allowed three runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk over six-plus innings for Pittsburgh.
Mets starter Oliver Perez (9-7), facing his former team for the first time since being dealt at last year’s trade deadline, allowed five unearned runs on five hits with nine strikeouts and a walk over six innings.
Lastings Milledge and Jose Reyes both homered for the Mets, who snapped a three-game winning streak. Damion Easley ended 2-for-4 and scored a run in the loss.
Trailing 1-0, Pittsburgh put up five runs in the sixth. McLouth and Maholm led off with singles. Cesar Izturis then laid down a bunt but got all the way to second after a throwing error by Perez as McLouth scored. After a pair of popouts, Nady singled in two runs before Phelps’ two-run shot to left-center field on a 2-2 pitch.
The Mets answered with a run in the home half on Milledge’s solo shot to left field on a 2-1 pitch.
The Bucs got three more runs in the seventh, off reliever Scott Schoeneweis, who struck out McLouth and Maholm swinging but scattered singles to Izturis and Freddy Sanchez. Joe Smith came on the mound, and allowed RBI singles to Jason Bay and Nady before a Phelps RBI double.
The Mets put up another run in the home half, as Easley and Ramon Castro led off with singles before Ruben Gotay was able to bring home Easley on a sac fly.
New York plated a run in the eighth off reliever Shawn Chacon, who surrendered a homer to right field by Reyes on his third pitch.
New York scored a run in the first when Reyes lined a lead-off single, stole second, got to third on a Milledge groundout, and came home on Wright’s sacrifice fly.
Game Notes
Perez was shipped to the Mets along with reliever Roberto Hernandez for Nady last July 31 after a disappointing 2006 with the Bucs. After striking out 239 batters in 2004 with the Pirates, Perez struggled and was just 2-10 with a 6.63 earned run average last season before the trade…New York centerfielder Carlos Beltran, strained a muscle in his abdomen during batting practice earlier in the week and missed Wednesday and Thursday’s contests…The Mets are playing the Pirates for the first time this season, but won five of the nine matchups between them in 2006. All five of the Mets’ wins against the Bucs last season came in Flushing.
