5-run 8th lifts Pirates over Mets

Andy LaRoche and the Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of a rare off night for the New York Mets' refurbished bullpen.

LaRoche had 3 RBI and host Pittsburgh scored 5 runs in the eighth inning of an 8-5 win on Monday.

Adam LaRoche and Jack Wilson had 3 hits apiece for the Pirates, who came back from a 5-0 deficit to win for only the second time in six games.

"Late in the game we came up with some big hits with runners on base," Adam LaRoche said. "That's what we've been missing. A lot of these games, we've been getting some opportunities and not taking advantage of them, and we did tonight."

Wilson Valdez had 2 hits and a career-high 3 RBI for the Mets, who fell to 22-2 when leading after seven innings.

In other games: Mike Lincoln and four other Cincinnati relievers allowed 1 earned run in 8 innings after Edinson Volquez left early in his first start since coming off the disabled list, and the visiting Reds rallied to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3. ... Hanley Ramirez and Jeremy Hermida had RBI singles in Florida's 5-run sixth inning, and the host Marlins rallied to beat Milwaukee. ... Roy Oswalt had a season-high 8 strikeouts, Carlos Lee hit a 2-run homer, and Houston snapped a four-game losing skid at home with a 4-1 win over Colorado.