NEW YORK -- Hard to imagine one day on the job was truly enough for new Mets hitting coach Lamar Johnson to make much of a difference. It only looked that way. Juan Lagares drove in two runs, Vic Black gave the bullpen a boost and New York finally managed some timely hits Tuesday night in a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. "We were hoping wed have a good homestand," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Weve played well. We just havent hit and driven in the big runs. To have a game like tonight I thought was important." Daniel Murphy doubled twice and No. 8 batter Ruben Tejada reached base all four times up to help the Mets win for only the fourth time in 13 games. The victory came one day after batting coach Dave Hudgens was fired and replaced by Johnson, who had been New Yorks minor league hitting co-ordinator. Black (1-0) got four big outs in his first major league outing this season, and Jenrry Mejia pitched two innings for his fourth save. With a runner on, Curtis Granderson made an outstanding catch in the right-field corner for the second out of the ninth. Mejia then walked Andrew McCutchen and retired Mets nemesis Gaby Sanchez on a game-ending grounder. "We lined out multiple times. Some nights, thats just the way it is," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. Starling Marte hit a two-run single for the Pirates, hurt by four wild pitches in losing for the second time in seven games. With the score 2-all, Tejada drew his second walk to start the sixth. He advanced on two wild pitches by Jeanmar Gomez (0-2) and scored when Lagares flicked a single over a drawn-in infield. Murphy followed with an RBI double to make it 4-2. "Lagares had a great at-bat," Murphy said. "Got some timely hitting and I think some really good baserunning out there as well, too, so its a good win." Black struck out Sanchez with runners at the corners to end the seventh. Pittsburgh had first and third again in the eighth when Mejia got pinch-hitter Pedro Alvarez to ground into an inning-ending double play. "Now Im ready for any situation," Mejia said. Handed a 2-0 lead, Mets starter Jonathon Niese let it slip away. Normally a fast worker, Niese slowed his pace considerably as he walked three batters in the sixth. Martes bases-loaded single tied it, but Black struck out pinch-hitter Ike Davis with the bases loaded to end the inning. It was a matchup that pitted two players against their former teams. Black was acquired from Pittsburgh last August, and the Mets traded Davis to the Pirates last month. Black was expected to be in the Mets bullpen at the start of the season, but was shipped to the minors after a rough spring. The right-hander got called up as the roster addition for Sundays doubleheader against Arizona, then sent back down immediately after the games. He went to meet Triple-A Las Vegas in El Paso, Texas, but quickly turned around when the Mets recalled him late Monday to replace reliever Jose Valverde, who was released. Functioning on little sleep, Black took an early flight back to New York on Tuesday and showed up at the ballpark ready to pitch. "Vic got out of it for me and he did a great job," Niese said. "The way it started off, I felt like I could go seven or eight today, kind of save the bullpen. Thats why I was angry with the sixth." Pirates starter Edinson Volquez walked five and threw two wild pitches in five innings, extending his struggles on the road. "Thats what youre supposed to do, keep the game close. But I know walks killed me tonight," Volquez said. Murphy doubled in the third and scored on Bobby Abreus two-out single. Tejada and Lagares both doubled off the wall in left field in the fourth to make it 2-0. Lagares made a leaping catch of McCutchens drive at the 390-foot sign in right-centre to end the first inning. McCutchen returned the favour with a spectacular, diving grab to rob Lagares of extra bases in the third. "They kind of traded them, didnt they?" Hurdle said. "We just couldnt find gaps. Good plays by the centre fielders, as good as youre going to see." NOTES: Hurdle said hes looking to get a day off soon for 2B Neil Walker, who has started all 51 games this season. ... After a setback Sunday, Mets RHP Dillon Gee (strained lat) is headed to the teams complex in Florida to continue his rehabilitation. He said it will probably be a few days before he tries to get on the mound again. "Were going to go with the slow-and-steady approach this time," he said. ... Mets C Travis dArnaud (concussion) went 0 for 1 with a walk in a rehab game for Double-A Binghamton. He was scheduled to catch seven innings, but the game was suspended after two innings because of rain. As long as he got his work in and felt OK, dArnaud was expected to be activated Wednesday or Thursday. ... Rap star 50 Cent was comically off target with the ceremonial first pitch. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Jersey .Y. -- A month ago, Syracuse was unbeaten, ranked No. Charlotte Hornets Jerseys . She still remembers the massive roar of the home crowd when the Canadians walked out on the pitch before 47,784 fans at Commonwealth Stadium in 2002. Lang expects a similar reception for the Canadian team as the host nation at this years tournament, which begins Tuesday. http://www.hornetsteamproshop.com/Cheap-...Hornets-Jersey/. The announcement was made by the hall on Friday, March 14. She joins Switzerlands Denise Biellmann as this years inductees to the Hall, based in Colorado Springs, CO. Marvin Williams Hornets Jersey . -- Mississippi State was crushed twice by Florida last season, once by 35 points and the other by 25. Cody Zeller Jersey . The Miami Heat star tops the leagues global list of top-selling jerseys for the 2012-13 season, edging Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and James Heat teammate Dwyane Wade for the No.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Terrelle Pryor and Charles Woodson turned this rare late-night start into an Oakland Raiders celebration. Pryor threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter and Woodson tied an NFL record with his 13th defensive touchdown as the Raiders beat the San Diego Chargers 27-17 on Sunday night. Pryor got the Raiders (2-3) off to a fast start in the latest West Coast game in NFL history with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Rod Streater on Oaklands first play from scrimmage. "I thought he started the game out about as good as you can start out," coach Dennis Allen said. The Raiders then used five turnovers, a goal-line stand, Woodsons 25-yard return of Danny Woodheads fumble and two long field goals by Sebastian Janikowski to beat the Chargers (2-3). Philip Rivers had his third 400-yard passing game of the season, throwing for 411 yards and two touchdowns. But he also had three interceptions as the Chargers played without injured starting offensive linemen King Dunlap and Chad Rinehart. They also lost running back Ryan Mathews to a concussion in the first half. "We came out and we were outplayed in all three phases," coach Mike McCoy said. "Its tough to go on the road and turn the ball over the way we did and win a football game on the road against a good football team. Too many big plays." The Raiders were without starting offensive linemen Stefen Wisniewski and Tony Pashos, as well as running back Darren McFadden. But Pryor and Woodson helped make sure that didnt matter. The game was shifted to a late-night start to allow time to convert the Coliseum to its football configuration after the Oakland Athletics played a baseball playoff game here Saturday night. The process took about 18 hours and was completed around 3:30 p.m., more than five hours before kickoff at 8:35 p.m. The wait was more than worth it for Oakland fans who had plenty to cheer about right from the start as Pryor and the Raiders broke out to a 17-0 halftime lead. The Chargers first score didnt come easily as Nick Novak had a 37-yard field goal attempt blocked by Tracy Porter. But Ladarius Green picked up the ball behind the line of scrimmage and ran for a first down. Rivers appeared to throw a touchdown pass to Keenan Allen two plays later but the call was reversed after replay showed Allen got only one foot down inbounds. That led to a second field goal attempt for Novak and he connected this time from 35 yards to cut Oaklands lead to 177-3.dddddddddddd The Raiders appeared to break the game open when Woodson scooped up Woodheads fumble and ran it in to make it 24-3. That tied him with Darren Sharper and Rod Woodson for the most defensive touchdowns in NFL history. "Hes made a habit out of doing that his whole career. A defensive score, an interception to seal the game," Allen said. "Thats what we expect out of him. Hes been a playmaker for us and hell continue to be a playmaker for us." But Rivers and the Chargers didnt quit, scoring touchdowns on their next two drives on passes to Woodhead and Allen in the opening 5 minutes of the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 24-17. "He got hot and we had to keep punching back," Pryor said. Pryor came up with one more big play, scrambling before hitting Brice Butler on a 20-yard pass on third-and-14. That set up Janikowskis 50-yard field goal that made it 27-17. Pryor finished 18 of 23 for 223 yards and has committed no turnovers since throwing two interceptions in the opener. "A lot of times you look up and something bad is about to happen and here he goes getting out of the pocket and he creates," Allen said. "It gives our team a sense of confidence." Oakland rookie D.J. Hayden and Woodson added late interceptions to seal the win. One week after Raiders fans spent much of the game booing Matt Flynn when he started while Pryor recovered from a concussion, there were only cheers for the quarterback this time. The love fest for Pryor started immediately after Rivers threw an interception to Usama Young on the third play from scrimmage. The Raiders took a deep shot on the next play and Pryor connected on a perfectly placed 44-yard touchdown pass to Streater. Pryor followed that deep shot with a methodical, 88-yard drive on Oaklands second possession, completing all seven passes for 61 yards capped by a 2-yard TD pass to Denarius Moore that gave Oakland a 14-0 lead after the first quarter for the second straight week. Kevin Burnett then stuffed Woodhead on a fourth-and-goal carry from the 1 and Chimdi Chekwa recovered a fumbled punt to Eddie Royal to set up Janikowskis 47-yard field goal that made it 17-0 -- Oaklands biggest halftime lead at home since the AFC championship season in 2002. NOTES: Rivers had three career 400-yard passing games before doing it three times in the past four weeks. ... Raiders RB Rashad Jennings left in the first half with a hamstring injury. ' ' '