Tom Glavine had no problem protecting a big lead this time.

Glavine pitched six innings to earn career win no. 299 and Paul Lo Duca drove in four runs to lead the Mets past the Pittsburgh Pirates 6–3 last night.

Marlon Anderson also had a sacrifice fly for New York, which has won five of six. Anderson was inserted into the lineup when All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran strained an abdominal muscle during batting practice.

Glavine (9–6) allowed three runs and eight hits, bouncing back from a difficult outing at Los Angeles. The left-hander failed to make it out of the third inning in his previous start against the Dodgers after the Mets staked him to a 6–0 lead. Glavine is expected to go for career win no. 300 on Tuesday night in Milwaukee.

Aaron Heilman pitched two scoreless innings and Billy Wagner got three outs on his 36th birthday for his 23rd save. It also was career save no. 347, tying him with Randy Myers for seventh on the career list.

Jason Bay homered for the third time in two days and Freddy Sanchez had two hits for the skidding Pirates, who have lost six straight on the road and 10 of 11 overall.

Pittsburgh also may have lost left-hander Tom Gorzelanny for a while. He departed in the third inning with shoulder stiffness.

Gorzelanny, who had pitched at least six innings in each of his previous 10 starts, struggled from the beginning against the Mets. Lastings Milledge doubled with one out in the first, and Gorzelanny (9–6) then walked David Wright and Carlos Delgado to load the bases. Lo Duca followed with a two-run double that landed just inside the left-field line and Anderson hit a fly ball to left to make it 3–0.

Lo Duca doubled in two more in the third and scored on Damion Easley’s single. That was it for Gorzelanny, who gave up six runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings.

Pirates manager Jim Tracy didn’t stay long after Gorzelanny left. He was ejected shortly afterward for arguing Bay caught a ball that the umpires ruled hit the ground first.

Tony Armas replaced Gorzelanny and allowed Shawn Green’s liner to left with runners on first and second. Bay came in trying to make the catch but appeared to trap it against the outfield grass.

Bay threw to second to get the forceout and Tracy came out of the dugout to argue that he caught the ball. The umpires conferred briefly before upholding the original call, and Tracy threw his hat on the ground near their huddle. He then argued briefly before he was ejected.

Glavine, who worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first, was cruising along until the fifth. Sanchez hit a one-out RBI double to get Pittsburgh on the board and one batter later Bay added his 16th homer. Xavier Nady followed with a double but Glavine got Ryan Doumit to ground out to end the inning.

Notes: Milledge moved from left field to center when Beltran was scratched and Anderson played left. … Pittsburgh used five relievers. … Mets RHP Guillermo Mota turned 34. … Mets right fielder Green batted eighth for the first time since May 17, 1997, for Toronto against Cleveland.