Pittsburgh @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 24, 2015 ) NY Mets 1, Pittsburgh 9

The New York Mets find themselves 11 games over .500 for the first time in five years, and their scintillating play at Citi Field certainly has played a significant role in their winning ways. The National League East-leading Mets vie for their eighth consecutive home victory on Friday when they open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

New York improved to 42-18 in Queens this season by recording its 11th win in 13 contests overall with a convincing 12-3 triumph over Colorado on Thursday afternoon. The Mets collected 15 extra-base hits and outscored the Rockies by a 23-5 margin during the four-game sweep, but they were manhandled to the tune of 21-4 en route to getting brushed aside at Pittsburgh on May 22-24. Winners of five of their last seven, the Pirates posted a 10-5 victory over St. Louis to salvage the finale of their three-game series on Thursday. Pedro Alvarez, who is 7-for-14 with two homers and three RBIs in his last four games, went deep to highlight a seven-run first inning on Thursday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH J.A. Happ (4-7, 4.78 ERA) vs. Mets RH Bartolo Colon (10-11, 4.76)

After having his last start skipped in the rotation, Happ will make take the mound on nine days' rest. The 32-year-old yielded four runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Chicago Cubs in his Pittsburgh debut on Aug. 4. Yoenis Cespedes recorded three hits and had two RBIs and two runs scored in his last three games overall, but is just 3-for-19 with five strikeouts in his career versus Happ.

Colon suffered his seventh loss in eight decisions on Sunday after allowing four runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-3 setback to Tampa Bay. The 42-year-old Dominican dominated Pittsburgh in his career, posting a 4-2 mark with a slim 1.97 ERA while limiting the club to a .217 batting average. Colon, however, was blasted in his last meeting with the Pirates, permitting five runs in six innings to take the loss.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York OF Curtis Granderson belted a two-run shot on Thursday to reach the 20-homer plateau for the eighth time in his career.

2. Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen, who had an RBI double to ignite a seven-run first inning on Thursday, is 12-for-28 with three homers, 11 RBIs and 19 runs scored in his last eight contests.

3. Should Mets 1B Lucas Duda (stiff back) miss his fourth straight game on Friday, manager Terry Collins admitted the team would have to consider sending the slugger to the disabled list.

PREDICTION: Mets 3, Pirates 2