Alou The Amazing
So what if Moises Alou [urinates on his hands], spends too much time on the Disabled List, and, by some accounts, has been playing baseball since the US took control of the Dominican Republic in 1906? The man can flat-out hit. [Alou belted two home runs](http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270812121) on Sunday and apparently enjoyed the role of hero enough to give a repeat performance last night. The veteran Dominican slugger singled home two runs in the eighth inning to snap a 3-3 tie against Pittsburgh and give the New York Mets their [second straight win](http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270814123). Hes as clutch a performer as there is late in a game, Pirates manager Jim Tracy said following the contest.
Alou is 9-for-26 (.346) in his last six games, carrying a potent Mets lineup that has underachieved this season. But last night, the big guns flexed their muscles, aiding Alou in the victory. Carlos Beltran blasted a line-drive, solo home run in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2 and then delivered a sacrifice fly in the sixth to knot the game at 3-3. David Wright also contributed two hits and Mike DiFelice added two hits as well, including an RBI double.
Mets starting pitcher Orlando Hernandez gritted through a season-high 130 pitches in just six innings, but only allowed three runs after working out of tight spots in seemingly every frame. New York closer Billy Wagner (pictured) then recorded an impressive ninth, tallying one strikeout and earning the save with a 1-2-3 inning. The triumph kept the Mets [three games ahead] of second-place Philadelphia and 3.5 ahead of Atlanta who both won their games last night.