Flushing, NY (My Sportsbook) - The Pittsburgh Pirates attempt to sweep the New York Mets this evening, when the two teams square off in the finale of a three-game set at PNC Park.

After taking the opener of this series by a 6-3 score, the Pirates scratched out a 4-3 victory on Wednesday. Aramis Ramirez hit the go-ahead solo homer in the sixth inning, leading the Pirates to their third straight win and sixth in eight tries.

Jason Kendall finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and Rob Mackowiak had an RBI and one run scored for Pittsburgh, which has not swept the Mets at home since June 1-3, 1998, at Three Rivers Stadium.

Ron Villone threw one inning of scoreless relief to post the win, while Mike Williams worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 46th save of the season. Brian Meadows started for the Pirates and yielded three runs on six hits, while striking out three and walking two, in five innings of work.

Mike Piazza blasted a solo homer, his 32nd homer of the season, and Edgardo Alfonso added a two-run shot for the Mets, who have lost three in a row and seven of their last 11 to fall 2 1/2 games behind the fourth-place Florida Marlins in the NL East.

Grant Roberts suffered the loss after being charged with one hit and one run in two innings of work. Jason Middlebrook started for the Mets and was charged with three runs on four hits in five innings. He fanned four and walked four.

John Thomson takes the ball this evening for Bobby Valentine's club. Thomson was tagged with the loss in his last trip to the slate after permitting four runs -- three earned -- on eight hits over five innings against the Montreal Expos. He walked four and whiffed five.

The setback was the righthander's second in a row and fifth in seven decisions since coming over from the Colorado Rockies at the trade deadline. Thomson has given up at least three runs in seven of his eight starts with the Mets, going 2-5 with a 4.37 ERA in that time.

For his career, the 28-year-old hurler is 2-1 versus Pittsburgh. Thomson faced the Pirates earlier this season while a member of the Rockies and was credited with the win after surrendering a pair of runs on two hits in seven innings of work.

Salomon Torres counters for the hosts. Torres did not factor into the decision in his last trip to the bump, permitting two runs on seven hits in five frames against the Chicago Cubs. He walked a pair and whiffed two, while yielding one home run.

After going 8-5 with a 3.83 earned run average in 24 appearances for Triple-A Nashville, the righthander was recalled to take the place of Bronson Arroyo in the rotation. He won his first start, but was tagged with the loss in his next attempt. Since then, Torres has a pair of no-decisions.

The 30-year-old hurler does not have a lifetime decision versus New York.

The Pirates lead the season series by a 4-1 margin. Still and all, the Mets own a commanding 19-10 advantage in this matchup since the start of the 1999 campaign.

New York is 37-43 this year as the guest, while Pittsburgh is 6-3 on a current 10-game homestand and 38-42 in 2002 as the host.

Pirates outfielder Brian Giles drew three walks in Wednesday's win to move within four free passes of tying the franchise record of 137, set by Ralph Kiner in 1951.