PITTSBURGH -- Gerrit Cole pitched into the ninth inning for the first time in his 50th career start and tied for the National League lead in wins.

Yet it was a somewhat bittersweet ending Friday night for the right-hander as he pitched the Pirates to a 4-1 victory over the New York Mets.

"It was exciting to go out there for the ninth inning," Cole said. "I just wish I would have been more successful and been able to finish off, but (closer Mark Melancon) picked me up and the defense played great from the first to the last, so it all worked out well."

Cole (6-2) allowed one unearned run and six hits in 8 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts and no walks as the Pirates (19-22) won for just the second time in eight games.

The 24-year-old became the NL's third six-game winner, joining Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon and St. Louis Cardinals righty Michael Wacha.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle pulled Cole when his pitch count reached 111 following a one-out single by right fielder Curtis Granderson and a walk to third baseman Eric Campbell.

The PNC Park crowd of 33,337 booed Hurdle when he left the dugout then gave Cole a standing ovation as he walked back to the dugout.

"I think just the experience of being out there in the ninth, feeling the emotion of the fans and everything that goes with it will benefit Gerrit," Hurdle said.

"People have to remember he was on the disabled list twice last season and was at 111 pitches. There is no way I'm going to let him go any further because this is a guy who is going to be a big part of our package going forward."

Melancon retired the last two batters for his 10th save.

Cole is 10-2 in 14 starts since last Sept. 7, giving him more wins than any pitcher in the major leagues in that span. He won for the first time in three career decisions against the Mets and has walked two batters or fewer in each of nine starts this season.

Catcher Chris Stewart had two hits for the Pirates, including the go-ahead double in a two-run second inning off Mets rookie right-hander Noah Syndergaard (1-2). However, Stewart was much more impressed with Cole's outing than his offense.

"He was in command of all his pitches right from the start," Stewart said. "He's still young, still learning and the exciting part is that he just keeps getting better and better."

In his third major league start, the highly regarded Syndergaard surrendered four runs -- three earned -- and seven hits in six innings with five strikeouts and no walks.

"I didn't have quite my best velocity and I was working on throwing more two-seam (fastball) and I felt like I induced some weak contact on them," Syndergaard said.

Syndergaard impressed his mound counterpart.

"I know we scored four runs but it's not we smoked the ball all over the park," Cole said.

The Pirates scored twice against Syndergaard in the second inning after he struck out the side in the first.

First baseman Pedro Alvarez doubled with two outs and scored on right fielder Gregory Polanco's single. Stewart capped the inning with an RBI double.

The Mets got their run in the third when center fielder Juan Lagares reached on a fielding error by third baseman Josh Harrison to lead off the inning and scored on a wild pitch by Cole with one out.

"Even up in the ninth inning, (Cole) was still throwing 97 mph," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "His slider was absolutely devastating at times in the middle of the game. We knew going in he was going to be tough to hit."

NOTES: Mets RHP Dillon Gee, who was been on the disabled list since May 4 with a strained right groin, will rejoin the team Saturday and likely be reinserted into the rotation, giving New York a six-man rotation for the time being. Gee made his third rehab start Wednesday, pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings for high-Class A St. Lucie. ... New York 3B David Wright (strained right hamstring) and C Travis d'Arnaud (broken right hand) took batting practice Friday at extended spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla., for the first time since going on the disabled list last month. … Pirates RHP Charlie Morton, who has been on the DL all season while recovering from right hip surgery performed last September, will be activated Monday and start that night against the visiting Miami Marlins. ... New York RHP Matt Harvey (5-1, 1.98 ERA) faces Pittsburgh RHP A.J. Burnett (3-1, 1.38 ERA) on Saturday afternoon in the middle game of the three-game series.