Mets vs. Pirates preview: Game time, TV schedule and probable pitchers

The New York Mets enter Thursday afternoon's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with pitcher R.A. Dickey (19-6, 2.66 ERA) on the mound. Dickey is looking to be the second player in the majors this season to hit 20 wins.

Dickey's also looking to make a case to be the first Mets pitcher since Dwight Gooden in 1985 to win the Cy Young Award. In his last start against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 22, Dickey pitched eight innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out four.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, while eliminated from playoff contention with their loss on Wednesday, are still looking for their first winning season since 1992. They currently stand three games below .500 and will send pitcher Kevin Correia (11-10, 4.11) to the mound. In his last start against the Houston Astros, also on Sept. 22, Correia pitched six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out nine in a 4-1 loss.

The game is scheduled for a 1:10 p.m. first pitch from Citi Field. Television coverage will be provided by SNY while the radio broadcast will be done by WFAN 660 AM and WQBU 92.7 FM.

Pirates Vs. Mets final score: New York drops free-falling Bucs, 6-0

The New York Mets officially eliminated the Pittsburgh Pirates from playoff contention on Wednesday night, winning 6-0 at Citi Field.

The other major news to come out of this game was the story of David Wright, who became the Mets' all-time leading hits leader with an RBI infield single in the third inning.

New York was buoyed by Jeremy Hefner, who pitched terrifically in a seven-inning shutout performance in which he allowed only one walk and three hits. The Amazins' pitching was in total control throughout the evening, not surrendering a single extra-base hit.

The Pirates weren't so lucky with their youngster, Jeff Locke. The 24-year-old was batted around in a big way, giving up five runs on nine hits and a walk in just 3⅔ innings.

Pedro Alvarez was the lone bright spot for the Bucs, collecting two of the three hits for Pittsburgh to raise his average to .246.

At 76-79, the Pirates need to win six of their final seven games to finish above .500 for the first time since 1992.

This story originally appeared on SB Nation Pittsburgh.

Mets vs. Pirates preview: Game time, TV schedule, probable pitchers

Having split the first two games in a late-season four-game set, the New York Mets send Jeremy Hefner to the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday with the season coming to a close.

Mets starter Collin McHugh was knocked around on Tuesday night in the Mets' 10-6 loss to Pittsburgh, and Hefner will look to quiet the Pirate bats. The Pirates' Pedro Alvarez and Garrett Jones both hit key homers in Tuesday night's game to get the Pirates to within two games of .500 at 76-78.

The Pirates are 7½ back from a wild card spot with just eight games remaining in the season.

The Mets, already eliminated from playoff contention, will look to touch up Pirates starter Jeff Locke, who is 0-2 with a 5.47 ERA in six appearances. Locke joined the Pirates' rotation earlier this month.

Time and Date: Sept. 26, 7:10 p.m.

Location: Citi Field, Queens, N.Y.

TV: SNY (New York), ROOT (Pittsburgh), MLB.tv

Radio: WFAN (New York), KDKA (Pittsburgh)

Pirates 10, Mets 6: Collin McHugh roughed up in Game 2

The New York Mets dropped the second game of their four-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates, losing 10-6 on Monday.

Collin McHugh was roughed up early, giving up seven runs in the first two innings. He was chased after getting just one out in the second. Pittsburgh struck right away, putting four up in the first inning with a three-run shot by Pedro Alvarez doing most of the damage.

The Mets would immediately answer in the bottom half of the opening frame, with Justin Turner and David Wright leaving the yard on back-to-back homers to cut the lead to one. But again McHugh quickly yielded to Pittsburgh, issuing two walks and two extra-base hits to start the second. The only out he would record in the inning was a sacrifice by Bucs pitcher Wandy Rodriguez. Those early seven runs off McHugh would prove to be enough.

On offense, it was Wright who had the highlight evening at the dish. The Mets' third baseman finished 2-4 with three RBI and a run.

Jeremy Hefner will take the hill in Game 3 on Wednesday, trying to push the Mets back in front. Pittsburgh will counter with Jeff Locke.

Mets vs. Pirates preview: Game time, TV schedule, probable pitchers

The New York Mets face the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday night at Citi Field in New York for the second game of their four-game set.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are 5-20 in the month of September and have fallen 7.5 games off the pace in the NL Wild Card race. The Mets, who defeated Pittsburgh Monday, look to hammer the final nail in the coffin of Pittsburgh's playoff hopes with another victory Tuesday evening.

Collin McHugh (0-2, 3.86) gets the start for New York. The start is McHugh's first since Sept. 10, when he was sent to the bullpen after two shaky outings. The 25-year-old right-hander made his major league debut on Aug. 23, pitching seven scoreless innings and allowing only two hits.

For Pittsburgh, Wandy Rodriguez (4-4, 3.71) takes the mound looking to right the ship for the fading Pirates. Rodriguez has two wins already this month, but struggled his last time out, allowing four runs on five hits in four innings of work.

Game Time: 7:10 p.m. ET

Location: Citi Field, New York

TV: SNY

Radio: WFAN 660, WQBU 92.7

For more on the Mets, visit the SB Nation blog Amazin' Avenue and be sure to visit Bucs Dugout for all your news on the Pirates. Baseball Nation is your home for all up-to-date MLB news and analysis.

Mets 6, Pirates 2: Ike Davis Goes Deep Twice To Lead Mets Past Pittsburgh

The New York Mets used a huge power outburst from first baseman Ike Davis to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday night, 6-2.

Ike Davis homered in both the fourth and fifth innings, driving in five runs and propelling the Mets to a 6-0 lead. The home runs were Davis's 29th and 30th of the season.

David Wright also added an RBI single in the fifth inning, driving in catcher Josh Thole before crossing the plate himself on Davis's second home run of the game.

Jenrry Mejia gets the win for the Mets after pitching five scoreless innings in which he allowed only four hits while striking out four. It is the first win of the 22-year-old's career. For the Pirates, Kyle McPherson picks up the loss, dropping his record to 0-2. McPherson allowed four runs on four hits and three walks.

Pittsburgh scored once in the eighth inning on an Andrew McCutchen triple and Garrett Jones RBI single, and again in the ninth on a Jose Tabata run scoring hit. However, those runs were the only slip-ups for the New York bullpen as the Mets went on to win, 6-2.

Pittsburgh now finds itself fading further and further away from the NL Wild Card race. The loss drops the Pirates to 75-78, seven games out of a Wild Card spot with only nine left to play.

For more on the Mets, visit the SB Nation blog Amazin' Avenue and be sure to visit Bucs Dugout for all your news on the Pirates. Baseball Nation is your home for all up-to-date MLB news and analysis.

Mets Vs. Pirates Preview: Game Time, TV Schedule, Probable Pitchers

The Mets begin a four-game home stand with the Pirates on Monday.