Bartolo Colon Mets lose 5-2, drop series to Pirates

PITTSBURGH -- Pedro Alvarez homered and drove in three runs and Edinson Volquez pitched six shutout innings Sunday to propel the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-2 victory over the New York Mets.

Ike Davis had a two-run single against his former team in a three-run first off Bartolo Colon. Alvarez added an RBI double off Colon (8-6) in the inning.

Volquez (6-6) worked in and out of trouble, giving up eight hits and a walk. He struck out a season-high seven as the Pirates took three of four from the Mets.

New York had plenty of chances to score off Volquez, stranding 11 on base, including seven in scoring position. The Mets had men on base in every inning except the eighth.

The Mets scored twice in the ninth against Jared Hughes on Chris Young's groundout to shortstop and Ruben Tejada's RBI single.

Mark Melancon relieved Hughes with two outs and gave up a hit to Daniel Murphy, but Melancon got Curtis Granderson to fly out to right field for his 15th save of the season.

Granderson went 0 for 5 and was hitless in 17 at-bats in the series.

Josh Harrison led off the fourth with a double to right-center field. Alvarez then crushed an 88 mph, 1-2 pitch from Colon for his 13th long ball this season, extending Pittsburgh's advantage to 5-0.

Colon pitched 7 1-3 scoreless innings in his previous start against the Pirates on May 28 at Citi Field but was unable to replicate that success at PNC Park. He finished after six innings and yielded five runs on seven hits and a walk.

Left-handers Justin Wilson and Tony Watson each worked a scoreless inning in relief of Volquez.

NOTES Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen was out of the lineup Sunday for a scheduled off day. ... Marte (finger) returned to the starting lineup and took McCutchen's spot in center field. . Mets 3B David Wright (bruised left rotator cuff) is scheduled to be reevaluated Monday, and manager Terry Collins said the disabled list is a possibility if insufficient improvement is shown in the shoulder. . RHP Zack Wheeler (3-8, 4.45 ERA) opposes LHP Alex Wood (6-6, 3.07 ERA) as the Mets open a three-game series in Atlanta on Monday. The Pirates are off Monday before LHP Jeff Locke (1-1, 3.74 ERA) will start Tuesday against LHP Wade Miley (3-6, 4.78 ERA) when the Arizona Diamondbacks visit Pittsburgh for three games.