NY Mets complete sweep of Pirates

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Mike Pelfrey earned his 15th win, pitching seven strong innings and hitting a tie-breaking single to help the New York Mets finish a four-game sweep with a 6-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on a rainy Thursday night at nearly empty Citi Field.

Slumping rookie Lucas Duda had a two-run double and the Mets rallied for their first four-game sweep since June 2006 at Arizona. New York (74-73) has won seven of nine — likely too late to get back in the playoff race — to move over .500 for the first time since Aug. 24.

Angel Pagan added three hits, two RBIs and an outstanding catch in center field. Pelfrey (15-9) extended his career high for wins by following up a victory over Philadelphia with a solid effort against the punchless Pirates.

Pittsburgh, with the worst record in baseball at 48-98, fell to 15-59 away from home. The Pirates must win three of their last seven road games (three in St. Louis, four at Florida) during the final week of the season to avoid matching the 1963 Mets for the worst road record (17-64) in a 162-game season.

Pelfrey allowed two runs and six hits. He also put New York up 3-2 with a two-out single off Sean Gallagher through the left side in the sixth. That scored Duda, who doubled with one out off Wilfredo Ledezma (0-3).

Ike Davis added a sacrifice fly in the seventh after a balk by Chris Resop, and Pagan hit a two-run double in the eighth to make it 6-2.

Pedro Feliciano struck out two in a perfect inning and Bobby Parnell finished with a 1-2-3 ninth. The four-game winning streak is New York’s longest since June 10-18.