PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Gerrit Cole struck out 10 over 8 1-3 dominant innings to outduel New York Mets rookie Noah Syndergaard and lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-1 win Friday night.Cole (6-2) gave up just six hits - all singles - and walked one to lower his ERA to 2.05 as the Pirates won for just the second time in their last eight games. Mark Melancon got the final two outs for his 10th save.Chris Stewart had two hits and an RBI for Pittsburgh. Jung Ho Kang, Pedro Alvarez and Gregory Polanco also drove in runs as the Pirates dropped New York to just 7-13 on the road. 
Syndergaard (1-2) struck out the first four batters he faced and fanned five in all but surrendered four runs, three earned, in six innings. Juan Lagares reached base twice and scored New York's only run on a wild pitch.The scuffling Pirates have relied heavily on Cole to become the stopper during an uneven opening quarter of the season. The 24-year-old halted Pittsburgh's latest slide with his longest start of the season, keeping the Mets off balance with a fastball that topped out at 99 mph and a rapidly improving breaking ball. His defense chipped in whenever the Mets appeared ready to mount a threat, turning four double plays. Stewart also threw out two runners trying to steal second base, boosting Pittsburgh's caught stealing total to 20, the best in the majors.Syndergaard kept pace early but allowed the bottom of the Pittsburgh lineup to peck away at him in his third career start. He struck out the side in the first before the Pirates started to time up a fastball that reaches the upper 90s. Alvarez doubled with two outs in the second and scored when Polanco snapped an 0 for 19 slump with an RBI-single to right.Lagares pulled the Mets within a run in the third when he reached on an error and came around to score when a Cole curveball skipped away.Syndergaard tired in the sixth, just as he had in each of his first two starts. His defense didn't help. Andrew McCutchen led off the inning with a double and scored on Kang's single. Kang moved to second when a pickoff attempt sailed wide of first and New York first baseman Lucas Duda declined to throw to second even though he appeared to have plenty of time. Kang swiped third without a throw when the Mets decided not to cover the bag and scored with an unorthodox but effective slide on a sacrifice fly by Alvarez.That was more than enough for Cole, who came within two outs of Pittsburgh's first complete game since July 28, 2014.
Syndergaard (1-2) struck out the first four batters he faced and fanned five in all but surrendered four runs, three earned, in six innings. Juan Lagares reached base twice and scored New York's only run on a wild pitch.The scuffling Pirates have relied heavily on Cole to become the stopper during an uneven opening quarter of the season. The 24-year-old halted Pittsburgh's latest slide with his longest start of the season, keeping the Mets off balance with a fastball that topped out at 99 mph and a rapidly improving breaking ball. His defense chipped in whenever the Mets appeared ready to mount a threat, turning four double plays. Stewart also threw out two runners trying to steal second base, boosting Pittsburgh's caught stealing total to 20, the best in the majors.Syndergaard kept pace early but allowed the bottom of the Pittsburgh lineup to peck away at him in his third career start. He struck out the side in the first before the Pirates started to time up a fastball that reaches the upper 90s. Alvarez doubled with two outs in the second and scored when Polanco snapped an 0 for 19 slump with an RBI-single to right.Lagares pulled the Mets within a run in the third when he reached on an error and came around to score when a Cole curveball skipped away.Syndergaard tired in the sixth, just as he had in each of his first two starts. His defense didn't help. Andrew McCutchen led off the inning with a double and scored on Kang's single. Kang moved to second when a pickoff attempt sailed wide of first and New York first baseman Lucas Duda declined to throw to second even though he appeared to have plenty of time. Kang swiped third without a throw when the Mets decided not to cover the bag and scored with an unorthodox but effective slide on a sacrifice fly by Alvarez.That was more than enough for Cole, who came within two outs of Pittsburgh's first complete game since July 28, 2014.
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