Mets beat Pirates for fifth straight win

Carlos Delgado hit a three-run homer in a five-run eighth inning and finished with five RBIs, helping the surging New York Mets defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-3, for their fifth straight win.

Jonathon Niese plugged a hole in New York’s rotation with six effective innings and Carlos Beltran had a tiebreaking RBI single for the Mets.

Nyjer Morgan had two hits and reached base five times for the slumping Pirates, who have lost six straight and 10 of 11 overall. Pittsburgh also has lost six consecutive road games.

Jose Reyes started the winning rally with a single to center off Tyler Yates (0-2). Luis Castillo walked and Beltran’s single down the third-base line made it 3-2, Mets. Sean Burnett relieved Yates and Delgado greeted him with his homer to right-center.