John Maine Hits and Pitches Mets to Win Over Pirates
Pitcher John Maine connects for a home run that helped his own cause. (AP Images)
John Maine hit a two-run homer and struck out seven to lead the New York Mets to an 8-4 win over the woeful Pittsburgh Pirates at Shea Stadium on Tuesday night.
Maine (11-5) won for the first time since the All-Star break, allowing an RBI double to Xavier Nady, a solo homer to Jason Bay in the fourth, and three other hits in seven innings.
The Mets paid -190 on the moneyline (meaning a winning wager of $190 would net a $100 profit).
Lastings Milledge was 3-for-3, hit a two-run shot in the eighth and drove in three runs for the Mets, who have won eight of 12 since the break and began a seven-game homestand against the Pirates and Nationals, two teams among the worst in baseball.
David Wright, Ruben Gotay and Shawn Green also drove in runs. Aaron Heilman pitched a perfect eighth inning.
Bay also homered in the ninth, a two-run shot off Guillermo Mota that gave him the team lead with 15 and his first multihomer game of the year.
The Mets jumped on Pittsburgh starter Ian Snell early, with back-to-back doubles by Jose Reyes and Gotay to start the game.
Snell (7-8) gave up six runs and 10 hits, including Maine’s first career homer, and lasted only four innings. He lost his third straight start since the All-Star break and has won only two of his past eight decisions.
In other early National League games on Tuesday:
Milwaukee 5, Cincinnati 3: Yovani Gallardo took a shutout into the seventh inning and revived the Brew Crew’s slumping offense with a run-scoring single as Milwaukee paid -134 on the road. Gallardo (3-1) pitched out of a bases-loaded threat in the first inning, then shut down a free-swinging lineup that leads the majors in homers. The rookie righthander limited the Reds to one run and six hits in 6.2 innings. He also had a run-scoring single off Matt Belisle (5-7), who failed to make it out of the fourth inning.
Philadelphia 4, Washington 3: Aaron Rowand’s solo homer in the eighth inning lifted the Phillies, who were -167 favorites at home. Rowand’s 14th homer, a two-out drive off Luis Ayala (0-2), sent the Phillies to their fourth straight. Ryan Madson (2-2) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings for the win, and Antonio Alfonseca worked the ninth for his eighth save in 11 chances.
For complete MLB odds for Wednesday, visit the Bodog Sportsbook.