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Alou continues torrid August in Mets win

Aug 15, 2007 - 3:36 AM By Chris Adamski PA Sportsticker Contributing Writer

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Moises Alou is making up for lost time.

Alou's two-run single in the eighth inning broke a 3-3 tie and Carlos Beltran hit his 21st homer as the New York Mets defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-4, on Tuesday.

Missing over two months with a strained left quadriceps, Alou - a career .307 batter with runners in scoring position - has sizzled upon his return in August, batting .341 (15-for-44) with 11 RBI in 12 games.

"Even the first two at-bats, I didn't do anything, but I had an opportunity to drive a couple guys in, and I took advantage of the opportunity," Alou said. "But I have to give credit to the other guys. They made my at-bat easier; all I needed at that point was a (sacrifice) fly, so that made me relax a little bit."

His bases-loaded single off Shawn Chacon scored David Wright and Beltran, who had singled and doubled, respectively, to lead off the inning against Salomon Torres (1-4).

"He's as clutch a performer in run-producing situations over the years as there is in the game," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said of Alou. "We missed some great opportunities early in the game offensively and, obviously, it came back to haunt us."

"We had missed (Alou when he was injured)," said Carlos Delgado, who was on base twice and walked to load the bases prior to Alou's pivotal at-bat. "He brings a lot to the table. He brings a professional bat to the middle of the lineup. He knows how to hit."

Wright and Mike DiFelice each had two hits for the Mets, who had lost three of four coming in.

Jorge Sosa (9-6) allowed a run over his 1 2/3 innings to earn the win in relief of Orlando Hernandez. Scott Schoeneweis retired the only batter he faced in the eighth before turning it over to closer Billy Wagner, who pitched a flawless ninth for his 27th save in 29 chances.

The Mets have won each of Hernandez's past seven starts as the righthander has yielded 15 runs in that time span, good for a 2.96 ERA in that time.

However, the 37-year-old has only been credited with the win in only three of those outings and has recorded nine no-decisions this season, despite allowing a 2.18 ERA and a .185 batting average in those contests.

"I'm feeling better than I was at the start of the season," said Hernandez, who threw 130 pitches Tuesday. "I started a little late in spring training and had two injuries before the season, but right now I am feeling good."

Nate McLouth hit his sixth home run and scored two runs for Pittsburgh, which had a four-game winning streak snapped the previous night against San Francisco.

"(The Mets) are a tough team when you get late in the game with them," McLouth said. "They have a real good backend of the bullpen. We hung in there, but we'll get them tomorrow."