Pittsburgh @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2012 ) Pittsburgh 10, NY Mets 6
The Pittsburgh Pirates are trying to finish the season strong even as elimination from the National League wild card race looms. The Pirates snapped the host New York Mets’ four-game winning streak in Tuesday’s second contest of the four-game series, but the next Pittsburgh loss or St. Louis Cardinals’ victory will officially eliminate the Pirates from postseason contention. Pittsburgh is just 13-31 over their last 44 games. New York is 34-45 at home.
Three different milestones were reached in Tuesday’s game. New York third baseman David Wright had two hits to raise his career count to 1,418, matching Ed Kranepool’s club record. On Pittsburgh’s side, third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 30th homer to tie Andrew McCutchen for the club lead. Alvarez and McCutchen are just the third tandem in Pirates’ history with 30 homers in the same campaign – Brian Giles (37) and Aramis Ramirez (34) in 2001 and Barry Bonds (33) and Bobby Bonilla (32) in 1990 are the others. Pittsburgh pitchers struck out six Mets to surpass the club record for strikeouts owned by the 1969 squad (1,124).
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Jeff Locke (0-2, 5.47 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jeremy Hefner (2-7, 5.79)
Locke is making his fifth start of the season and ninth of his career and still seeking his first major-league victory. He struck out eight in five innings in his last outing but lost to the Houston Astros after giving up three runs and three hits. Locke has allowed six homers in his four previous starts this season.
Hefner is making his 12th start of the season and has lost three straight decisions since last winning on Aug. 4. His most recent start came against the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 8 when he allowed five runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings. Opposing hitters are batting .306 against Hefner.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York hadn’t hit back-to-back homers all season until Justin Turner and Wright turned the trick in the first inning of Tuesday’s game.
2. Pittsburgh OF Garrett Jones hit his 25th homer and had three RBIs to raise his total to 82, four shy of his career-best total achieved in 2010.
3. Mets OF Jason Bay was held out Tuesday with back stiffness, and is batting just .134 since the All-Star break.