Pirates 8, Mets 1
NEW YORK -- Third baseman Aramis Ramirez had four hits Sunday afternoon, including an RBI single during a four-run seventh inning that broke open a tie game and sent the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-1 win over the New York Mets at Citi Field.
The Pirates (69-46) swept the three-game series from the Mets and extended their lead over the Chicago Cubs in the National League wild card standings to 1 1/2 games.
The Mets (63-55) finished 0-6 this season against the Pirates. New York's lead over the Washington Nationals in the National League East fell to four games, pending the Nationals' game later Sunday against the San Francisco Giants.
Ramirez finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs. He is batting .257 with one homer and 13 RBIs in 18 games since the Pirates -- who Ramirez played the first five-plus years of his career -- acquired him from the Milwaukee Brewers on July 23.
The two teams were locked in a 1-1 tie before a rain delay in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Mets had two on with one out and Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was on his way to the mound to pull left-hander Jeff Locke when thunderstorms arrived and the umpires waved the players off the field.
After a 42-minute rain delay, right-hander Arquimedes Caminero (4-1) struck out catcher Travis d'Arnaud and got shortstop Ruben Tejada to hit into a fielder's choice.
The Pirates then took advantage of the Mets' sloppiness in the top of the seventh, when right-hander Bobby Parnell (1-3) committed a throwing error and d'Arnaud was charged with a passed ball. Right fielder Gregory Polanco delivered the go-ahead RBI single, pinch-hitter Mike Morse scored on the passed ball and Ramirez and first baseman Pedro Alvarez notched RBI singles.
Parnell was charged with four runs, two earned, on two hits and two walks while striking out none over two-thirds of an inning.
The Pirates scored three more in the eighth on center fielder Starling Marte's run-scoring single and Ramirez's two-run double.
Alvarez homered in the second and was one of three Pirates -- along with Polanco, Marte and left fielder Travis Ishikawa -- to finish with two hits. Pittsburgh racked up 15 hits overall.
D'Arnaud had two hits, including a second-inning homer.
Locke gave up the one run on four hits and two walks while striking out five over 5 1/3 innings.
Mets right-hander Matt Harvey allowed one run on seven hits and one walk while striking out six over six innings.
NOTES: Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett (flexor strain) threw long toss Sunday morning and could throw off a mound this week. Manager Clint Hurdle remains confident that Burnett, who is retiring after the season, will make it back to the Pirates this year. ... Pirates SS Jordy Mercer (left knee) and IF/OF Josh Harrison (left thumb) were scheduled to play for Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday. It will be the first time both players have played in back-to-back games on their rehab assignments. ... Mets RF Curtis Granderson batted second for the third time in five games. Granderson made his first 103 starts out of the season out of the leadoff spot. ... Mets RHP Erik Goeddel (elbow strain) had his rehab moved to Double-A Binghamton from Class A St. Lucie, where he had a 7.71 ERA in five appearances.