Pirates 4, Mets 1
PITTSBURGH -- Gerrit Cole pitched into the ninth inning for the first time in his 50th career start and tied for the National League lead in wins in leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-1 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night.
Cole (6-2) allowed only one unearned run and six hits in 8 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts and no walks as the Pirates (19-22) won for just the second time in eight games.
The 24-year-old right-hander became the NL's third six-game winner, joining Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon and St. Louis Cardinals righty Michael Wacha.
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle pulled Cole when his pitch count reached 111 following a one-out single by right fielder Curtis Granderson and a walk to third Eric Campbell.
Closer Mark Melancon retired the last two batters for his 10th save.
Cole is 10-2 in 14 starts since last Sept. 7, giving more wins than any pitcher in the major leagues in that span. He won for the first time in three career decisions against the Mets and has walked two batters or fewer in each of nine starts this season.
Catcher Chris Stewart had two hits for the Pirates, including the go-ahead double in a two-run second inning off Mets rookie right-hander Noah Syndergaard (1-2).
In his third major league start, the highly regarded Snyndergaard surrendered four runs -- three earned -- and seven hits in six innings with five strikeouts and no walks.
The Mets fell to 7-13 on the road, compared to 17-6 at Citi Field.
The Pirates scored twice against Syndergaard in the second inning after he struck out the side in the first.
First baseman Pedro Alvarez doubled with two outs and scored on right fielder Gregory Polanco's single. Stewart capped the inning with an RBI double.
The Mets got on the board in the third, cutting their deficit to 2-1, when center fielder Juan Lagares reached on a fielding error by third baseman Josh Harrison to lead off the inning and scored on a wild pitch by Cole with two outs.
NOTES: Mets RHP Dillon Gee, who was been on the disabled list since May 4 with a strained right groin, will rejoin the team Saturday and likely be reinserted into the rotation. Gee made his third rehab start Wednesday, pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings for high-Class A St. Lucie. ... New York 3B David Wright and C Travis d'Arnaud took batting practice Friday at extended spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla., for the first time since going on the disabled list. Wright has been out since April 15 with a strained right hamstring and d'Arnaud has been on the DL since April 20 with a broken right hand. ... Pirates RHP Charlie Morton, who has been on the DL all season while recovering from right hip surgery performed last September, will be activated Monday and start that night against the visiting Miami Marlins. ... New York RHP Matt Harvey (5-1, 1.98 ERA) faces Pittsburgh RHP A.J. Burnett (3-1, 1.38 ERA) on Saturday afternoon in the middle game of the three-game series.