Pirates Beat Mets, 3-2, In Front Of Big Crowd At PNC Park
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) -- The Pirates like it when they get big crowds at PNC Park.
So, on Saturday night, when they played in front of the third largest crowd in park history at more than 39,200, the Bucs pulled out a big 3-2 win over the New York Mets.
James McDonald allowed two runs in six effective innings for the Pirates, and Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the victory.
Jose Tabata and Josh Harrison each had two hits and a scored a run against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Also, Garrett Jones had an RBI double among his two hits.
For the Mets, Jose Reyes had two hits, and Ruben Tejada and Carlos Beltran each also had two hits.
McDonald (4-4) allowed eight hits and three walks. Tim Wood pitched a scoreless seventh, Jose Veras struck out Ronny Paulino looking with runners on second and third to end the eighth, and Joel Hanrahan worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save in as many opportunities.
Dickey (3-7) had his fifth consecutive effective outing, pitching a complete game. He allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts in eight innings.
The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the first when Tejada scored on a David Murphy fielder's choice.
The Pirates tied it in the second on Jones' double into the deepest part of the ballpark, left-center - the Pirates' first extra-base hit in 21 innings.
The runs that proved the difference for the Pirates came in the third on a two-out hit by McCutchen with Tabata at second and Harrison at first. McCutchen was 0 for 3 with three strikeouts against Dickey on May 31, and he grounded back to him into a double play in the first inning Saturday.
But his sharp grounder to third bounced and deflected off of Murphy's glove. Murphy attempted to backhand the ball, and it slowly trickled into left, easily allowing Tabata and Harrison to score.
The Mets loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but Dickey grounded softly in a double play.
The Mets' slumping outfielder Jason Bay, a former Pirate, was back in the lineup after manager Terry Collins gave him two days off to get away from the game and work on his swing.
Bay went 1 for 4 with two strikeouts. He singled to center in the fourth, his first hit in 25 at-bats. With a runner on and one out in the eighth, he hit a hard line drive to center - right at McCutchen.
In the eighth, Lucas Duda doubled into the right field corner with Angel Pagan on first. But Pagan was held at third. Paulino followed by striking out.
There was a post-game fireworks show and Huey Lewis concert.
The Pirates and Mets continue their four-game series Sunday at 1:35 p.m.
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