Pirates rout Mets, 11-6, in McCutchen’s debut

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Prized prospect Andrew McCutchen did his best to make the Pittsburgh Pirates forget about Nate McLouth — at least for now.

A day after the team traded the All-Star outfielder to Atlanta, McCutchen had a productive major league debut to help Pittsburgh complete a rain-shortened, three-game sweep of the New York Mets with an 11-6 victory Thursday.

“Everybody’s talking about the future. We’re not looking to the future. This is the now,” Pirates manager John Russell said. “We’re very excited about where we’re at, and we added a very talented player.”

Jason Jaramillo drove in a career-high four runs, Ramon Vazquez went 4-for-4 and Andy LaRoche had two RBIs and scored twice for Pittsburgh, which roughed up Mike Pelfrey to win its fourth in five games.

Wednesday night’s game was rained out, but at about the time it was supposed to start the Pirates dealt an All-Star outfielder for the second consecutive season. The move made room for the 22-year-old McCutchen, a speedy center fielder who was immediately called up from Triple-A Indianapolis.

He went 2-for-4 with three runs, a walk, an RBI and a stolen base against the Mets.

“With what happened [Wednesday[, this was a big win for us as a team and for the city,” LaRoche said.

Carlos Beltran, playing his first game in five days because of a stomach virus, homered and doubled off the wall. David Wright broke out of a slump with two hits and two walks for the Mets, who have lost four of five. They were swept on the road for the third time this season.

Pelfrey (4-2) allowed a career-worst nine runs — eight earned — and nine hits in 32‚Ñ3 innings. He was the first Mets starter to allow nine runs since Jason Vargas on July 3, 2007, at Colorado.

Pelfrey had been charged with a combined seven runs over his past four starts. He walked four and struck out three in this one.

“I had the absolute worst outing of my entire career today,” Pelfrey said. “I wasn’t executing pitches, and they made me pay for it.”

Steven Jackson (1-0) earned his first major league win in his second game with two scoreless innings of relief.

The Pirates had only two extra-base hits in the game — a double and a triple — but scored nine runs during the first four innings.

Russell inserted McCutchen into the leadoff spot hoping he’d spark the offense. It worked immediately, as McCutchen singled up the middle in his first major league at-bat, starting a four-run first. LaRoche and Jaramillo each had a two-run single.

“I had a few butterflies, but after you get that first one out of the way, you pretty much get settled down and say, ‘Let’s play ball now,’ ” McCutchen said.