Flushing, NY (My Sportsbook) - The Pittsburgh Pirates shoot for their third consecutive win this evening, when they tangle with the disappointing New York Mets in the middle contest of a three-game set at PNC Park.

Pinch-hitter Adrian Brown capped a four-run eighth inning with a two-run single, leading the Pirates to a 6-3 victory in the opener of this series on Tuesday. Armando Rios was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Pittsburgh, which has won two in a row and five of its last seven.

Scott Sauerbeck, the fifth of six hurlers for the Pirates, picked up the win. Sauerbeck worked two-thirds shutout innings with one strikeout. Mike Williams tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 45th save. Josh Fogg started for the Pirates and allowed three runs -- two earned -- on three hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Brian Giles went 1-for-3 with a run scored and one walk in the win. With 130 walks on the year, the slugging outfielder is only seven away from tying the Pirates record of 137, set by Ralph Kiner in 1951. Sauerbeck, meanwhile, is tied with Rod Scurry (1982) for the most appearances in a season by a Pirates lefthander with 76.

Mike Piazza finished 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Mets, who have lost two in a row and three of their last four. The loss dropped Bobby Valentine's crew 1 1/2 games behind the fourth-place Florida Marlins in the NL East.

New York reliever Mark Guthrie absorbed the loss, allowing one run on one hit without recording an out. Starter Steve Trachsel surrendered two runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Jason Middlebrook gets the call this evening for the Mets. Middlebrook did not factor into the decision in his last trip to the slate, permitting two runs on six hits in six innings against the Chicago Cubs. He walked one and struck out five, while giving up one home run.

The start was just the righthander's second since coming over from the Padres, along with veteran relief pitcher Steve Reed, for pitchers Bobby M. Jones and Josh Reynolds and outfielder Jason Bay on August 1. In his first try, the 27- year-old Middlebrook defeated the Montreal Expos with five innings of three- hit, two-run ball.

This will be Middlebrook's first career appearance versus Pittsburgh.

Brian Meadows counters for the hosts. Meadows did not receive a decision in his last trip to the bump, despite surrendering only one run on six hits over six innings against the Cincinnati Reds. He walked one and fanned a pair.

In his previous outing, the righthander suffered the loss after allowing three runs on five hits over five frames against the Philadelphia Phillies. The loss was his third in as many starts and sixth in seven decisions since joining the team in early August. This will be the 26-year-old hurler's seventh start of the season at home, where he is 1-3 with a 3.67 ERA.

Lifetime, Meadows is 2-5 versus New York. He is yet to face the Mets in 2002.

The Pirates lead the season series by a 3-1 margin. Still and all, the Mets own a commanding 19-9 advantage in this matchup since the start of the 1999 campaign.

New York is 37-42 this year as the guest, while Pittsburgh is 5-3 on a current 10-game homestand and 37-42 in 2002 as the host.