Niese solid as Mets get even on road trip

After his last outing -- a particularly poor one -- the Mets held an intervention with Jon Niese.

The 25-year-old left-hander was called into a meeting with pitching coach Dan Warthen, bullpen coach Ricky Bones and veteran pitchers Johan Santana and R.A. Dickey.

The message: Prepare better for your starts. Stop trying to get by just on your stuff. Apparently, Niese listened, because he dominated the Pirates on Wednesday in a 3-1 win at PNC Park.

Niese (3-2) went 72/3 innings and allowed one run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He barely used his signature curveball. Instead, he mowed down the weak-hitting Pirates with fastballs, cutters and sinkers.

"He pitched a great, great game," said manager Terry Collins. "It was a much-needed outing for him."

With the win, the Mets concluded a 3-3 road trip before beginning their longest homestand of the season (11 games) Thursdat against San Diego.

The Mets gave Niese just enough run support in the series' rubber game. Lucas Duda, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and David Wright drove in the Mets' runs. Frank Francisco threw a perfect ninth for his 12th save.

Niese signed a five-year, $25.8 million contract extension last month, but his most recent start was awful: eight runs allowed on eight hits with four walks in three innings against the Blue Jays. The Mets lost, 14-5, and had to use catcher Rob Johnson to pitch the final inning.

Johnson stayed behind the plate yesterday.

Anthony Rieber is a

Newsday staff writer.