Starling Marte's HR keys surging Mets to sweep of Pirates with 9-1 victory

NEW YORK (AP) — Starling Marte hit his 150th career homer Wednesday, powering the New York Mets to a 9-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates and a sweep of a three-game series.

Marte, who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Pirates, hit the milestone two-run homer off the railing beyond the left-center field fence to give the Mets a 2-1 lead in the third inning. The 35-yearold is the only active player with at least 150 homers and 300 stolen bases.

His 341 steals lead all current players.

"Continue competing, continue reaching milestones and goals," Marte said through an interpreter. "And also for the team to continue to win — that's all that I really focus on."

Tyrone Taylor hit a two-run single in the sixth and Harrison Bader homered on the next pitch for the Mets, who went 5-1 on a homestand against the Pirates and Kansas City Royals to improve to 10-3 since an 0-5 start.