(Sports Network) – The New York Mets shoot for .500 and a series win this evening when they wrap up a four-game set with the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
The Mets moved one step closer to the break even mark on Sunday, as Chris Capuano tossed seven scoreless innings to lead New York past Pittsburgh, 7-0.
Capuano (5-6) scattered three hits and two walks while fanning five as the Mets were victorious for the seventh time in 10 games.
“Our goal is to win and win and win and to get above .500,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “That’s our goal. We keep looking at the .500 [mark]. If we play good baseball we’ll get there and beyond. But it can’t just be, ‘Hey, let’s get to .500.’ That’s not where you want to be.”
Kevin Correia (8-5) allowed four runs on seven hits in 7 2/3 innings for the loss, the third in four games for the Pirates.
Correia was perfect through four innings before allowing a two-out single to Jason Bay in the fifth.
“They hit their spots. Two different-type pitchers that stayed away from the barrel, kept the ball down and had a lot of miss-hits of the bat. It was well played until the end,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said about the pitchers.
Getting the call for the Mets tonight will be right-hander Mike Pelfrey, who is 3-4 with a 5.35 ERA. Pelfrey did not get a decision on Wednesday in Milwaukee, but pitched well, allowing two runs and four hits in six innings of a 7-6 loss.
Pelfrey was roughed up by the Pirates two starts ago for seven runs in five innings, but escaped without a decision. He is 3-1 lifetime against them with a 5.28 ERA.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, will counter with lefty Paul Maholm, who has pitched a lot better than his 2-7 record may indicate. Maholm was terrific on Wednesday against Arizona, as he allowed just one hit over six scoreless innings. However, he did not get a decision in his team’s 3-2 win, despite lowering his ERA to 3.39.
Maholm opposed Pelfrey on June 2 and like his counterpart, he was awful and did not receive a decision. The Pirates spotted Maholm seven runs in that one, but he gave it all back, surrendering seven runs (six earned) in 5 2/3 frames. He is 3-3 in nine starts against them with a 5.15 ERA.
The Mets and Pirates split a four-game set in Flushing, N.Y. from May 30-June 2, but New York is 11-4 in the last 15 meetings overall.