PITTSBURGH — Moises Alou’s two-run single in the eighth inning put New York ahead, and the Mets finally figured out how to win in Pittsburgh by rallying past the Pirates 5–4 last night. Carlos Beltran, who doubled to set up the two-run eighth, hit a solo homer and drove in two runs as the Mets won in PNC Park for only the second time in nine games. The Mets were swept by the last-place Pirates in a three-game series last September when they needed to win only once to clinch the NL East.

With the scored at 3, David Wright singled and Beltran doubled against reliever Salomon Torres (1–4), who faced only the two batters. Damaso Marte came on to walk Carlos Delgado to load the bases, and Alou, who stranded two runners in his previous at-bat, hit a line-drive single to center against Shawn Chacon that made it 5-3.

The Pirates led 2–0 in the first and 3–2 in the fourth following Nate McLouth’s solo homer, but had only one more threat after that. Pinch-hitter Xavier Nady’s groundout drove in a run against Jorge Sosa (9–6) in the eighth, but Scott Schoeneweis got pinch-hitter Josh Phelps on a long fly to right that Lastings Milledge caught on the warning track despite falling as he made the catch. Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his 27th save in 29 chances.

Mets starter Orlando Hernandez, 3–0 since the All-Star game, was allowed to throw 130 pitches — only 70 for strikes — as he walked five and hit a batter. But he was wildly effective, striking out eight as the Pirates stranded eight runners during his six innings despite getting only five hits.

The Mets tied it at 3 in the sixth, but missed a chance to go ahead that inning and again in the seventh. With runners on first and third with one out in the sixth, Wright was called out at second on Beltran’s apparent double-play grounder even though it appeared shortstop Jack Wilson never held onto Freddy Sanchez’s throw. Umpire Chad Fairchild ruled Wilson was taking the ball out of his glove when he lost control.

Delgado then missed a homer by inches when his drive struck the railing in front of the seats in right, but he didn’t run hard out of the box and stopped at first — even as the Pirates left second base uncovered. Beltran held at third, allowing Pirates starter Ian Snell to get out of the jam when he struck out Alou.

In the seventh, Mike DiFelice singled and pinch-hitter Ruben Gotay doubled with one out. Jose Reyes grounded out to short with the infield in, preventing DiFelice from scoring, Luis Castillo was tagged out by catcher Ronny Paulino on a ball that struck in front of the plate and Castillo thought was foul.