National League : Pittsburgh Picking on Mets, Too

The Pittsburgh Pirates snapped a 15-game losing streak to the New York Mets with a 9-6 victory Monday night in Pittsburgh as pinch-hitter Mike Diaz hit a three-run homer to cap a four-run seventh-inning rally.

“That’s what they pay me to do,” said Diaz, who has three homers in only 20 at-bats this season. “Mike Diaz is nobody right now and America doesn’t believe in the Pirates, but you look around this locker room and you don’t see many losers. Tomorrow’s another day and another game, but this one was fun.”

Sid Bream homered twice and had four hits for Pittsburgh.

The Pirates, who got consecutive home runs from Johnny Ray and Bream in the third inning, lost the first two games of the season in New York after dropping 17 of 18 to the Mets last season. Their last previous victory over the Mets came last June 6 in Pittsburgh.

The loss was the fourth straight for the defending champion Mets, who rallied from a 5-2 deficit with four runs in the top of the seventh, capped by Gary Carter’s three-run homer.

Philadelphia 4, Montreal 3--Lance Parrish hit a three-run homer and Glenn Wilson followed with a solo shot as the Phillies rallied for four runs with two out in the ninth inning to beat the Expos in the home opener at Montreal.

Montreal right-hander Jay Tibbs (1-2) was working on a five-hit, 2-0 shutout when Parrish and Wilson hit their homers.

Dave Engle hit a one-out pinch homer off winning pitcher Dan Schatzeder in the bottom of the ninth, and the Expos loaded the bases with one out before Kent Tekulve came in to complete the victory and earn his first save.

Cincinnati 12, San Diego 3--Dave Parker homered and Ron Oester went 4 for 4 to lead an 18-hit Cincinnati attack while Guy Hoffman held the Padres to two runs and seven hits in eight innings in San Diego.

The victory was the Reds’ 10th in 13 games and the loss was the fourth straight and 12th in 14 games for the Padres.

In the last two games, San Diego pitchers have allowed 21 runs and 34 hits. The Padres have allowed a major league-leading 24 homers, 10 in the last five games.