NEW YORK -- Mets general manager Sandy Alderson had to hear the booing at Citi Field throughout a miserable homestand. He took steps to begin fixing the problems Monday after a 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, firing hitting coach Dave Hudgens and cutting reliever Jose Valverde. "This is a very difficult decision to make. Ive known Dave for many years, decades," Alderson said. "Our situational hitting is not where we want it to be." Minor league hitting co-ordinator Lamar Johnson will take over for Hudgens. The 63-year-old Johnson has been in this role with the Mets for 10 of his 11 years in the organization and is responsible for helping teach the organizations hitting philosophy throughout the minors. The Mets have tried to implement a plan of patience at the plate but the results have not shown. "Our hitting approach will not change appreciably," Alderson said. "Any time theres a new person, theres a new voice, a new take, a different interpretation both from a mechanical and an approach point of view." The 57-year-old Hudgens was in his fourth season as the Mets hitting coach. The Mets began the day with a .237 batting average, ranking among the worst in the majors. They have scored just 32 runs in losing nine of 12. "This is by no means Dave Hudgens fault. Not whatsoever," manager Terry Collins said. "Its about trying to get the execution better. Well see if change helps." The problems are more glaring with runners in scoring position: New York is 13 for 66 (.197) in that situation in the first seven games of a nine-game homestand after getting one hit in eight tries Monday. The Mets hit into five double plays Sunday in a 2-1 loss to Arizona in the first-game of a doubleheader. Daniel Murphy hit into one of the teams two double plays Monday, wiping out another hit by Jacob deGrom. "Theres frustration at the way were playing. Theres frustration with the way the offence is going and that Dave unfortunately bears the brunt of that," Murphy said. "It stinks." David Wright was unhappy that the popular coach lost his job over what he thinks is the players fault. "When you struggle the way weve struggled offensively, a finger, obviously, gets pointed. A lot of times that finger gets pointed unfairly," Wright said. Alderson said this was not to read as a warning to Collins. "I think this is in response to a specific situation," Alderson said. "Nothing else should be read into it by any means." The Mets have been revamping their bullpen, and Valverdes dismissal after allowing four runs while getting only two outs in the eighth and ninth innings is the next step. With new closer Jenrry Mejia unavailable after pitching both games of the doubleheader Sunday, Collins turned to Valverde. Valverde (1-1) was booed off the field after allowing pinch-hitter Jose Tabatas tying single in the eighth. He returned for the ninth and was even worse, yielding four runs overall. "Dont think for one second that theres not a guy in there that realizes that this is part of it. We just released one of the best professionals I ever been around in Jose Valverde," a fired-up Collins said. "You deal with it, and if you cant you dont belong in the game." With one out in the ninth, Valverde gave up a single to Neil Walker and walked Andrew McCutchen. Gary Sanchez, who homered off Scott Rice to open the eighth, then singled to left, scoring Walker. Juan Centeno couldnt handle Curtis Grandersons throw that bounced to the right of the plate and skittered past Valverde, who was backing up but way too close to the catcher. McCutchen scored on Grandersons error for a two-run lead. Valverde gave up four runs as the Pirates took the lead. The 36-year-old righty was 1-1 with a 5.66 ERA. Valverde joined the Mets this year after pitching for Detroit last season. He briefly was New Yorks closer before losing the job. Reporters were told Valverde had left the ballpark even though his street clothes remained in his locker. Right-hander Vic Black is being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill Valverdes spot. "Our bullpen will get better when our young pitchers emerge at the major league level," Alderson said. "Not only will we have better arms, but well have more flexibility." In the minors, top prospect Noah Syndergaard was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to May 22, because of a mild flexor-pronator strain in his right elbow. The flexor-pronator muscle is on the inside of the elbow, forearm area. The Mets said the Triple-A Las Vegas ace will be brought to New York for an exam. Syndergaard was acquired in a trade that sent 2012 Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey to Toronto. He is Baseball Americas No. 6 righty pitching prospect and is expected to make his big league debut this year. "Were very concerned about it, obviously, I dont know too many guys -- I shouldnt say that, I know a lot of guys who go to the doctor and its nothing. But I know some go to the doctor and its an issue," Collins said. "Anytime you go in and the word elbow shows up, especially when you throw as hard as he does, its a concern. NOTES: The Mets placed OF Eric Young Jr. on the DL because of a right hamstring strain. They recalled OF Matt den Dekker from Triple-A Las Vegas to take his place. ... Up Next: Pirates RHP Edinson Volquez (2-4) faces Mets LHP Jonathon Niese (3-3) on Tuesday night. Cheap Air Max 270 Sale . Noah finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in 34 minutes. He was headed for his fourth triple-double of the season, but sat down with about three minutes left because of the lopsided score. Kirk Hinrich scored 19 points for Chicago, going 5 for 6 on 3-pointers, Carlos Boozer added 18 points, D. Air Max 270 Cheap Authentic . - The Detroit Lions have placed tight end Brandon Pettigrew on injured reserve, ending his season. http://www.cheapairmax270.net/. The first baseman hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Mets to a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Cheap Air Max 270 China . The Brazilian driver had the second-best time in last months tests at Jerez and said the "good start" could play to his advantage when the season gets underway in Australia in March. Cheap Air Max 270 Free Shipping .com) - A chant of Zeke reverberated around AT&T Stadium before Ezekiel Elliott powered into the end zone for his fourth and final touchdown.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Starling Marte swung so miserably at the first two sliders he saw from Arizona Diamondbacks closer Addison Reed in the ninth inning that the Pittsburgh left fielder knew more were on the way. So he stepped out of the batters box, took a deep breath and waited. "I was struggling the first two pitches but I was thinking about the pitch I want," Marte said. "He threw me a slider and it was a good chance to hit the ball." Was it ever. Marte turned an 81 mph slider over the middle of the plate into a game-tying, two-run double and then scored on pinch-hitter Ike Davis single two batters later as the Pirates rallied for a 3-2 win Tuesday night. "Every time were up to bat theres a chance we do something," Davis said. "Its hard to shut us down for nine. Weve done it a lot this year ... anything is possible with us." The Pirates were shut down for eight innings by Arizona starter Wade Miley before rallying in the ninth. Neil Walker and pinch-hitter Gregory Polanco started the inning with singles against Miley. One batter later, Marte turned an 0-2 count into a tie game. "He got a ball that he could get a barrel on," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He slowed it down and put a good swing on it and hit it to the big part of the ballpark." Andrew McCutchen was intentionally walked and Davis hit a broken-bat single to right, scoring Marte easily as the Pirates won for the fourth time in five games. Ernesto Frieri (1-3) earned his first win with the Pirates after working a scoreless ninth. The abrupt ending ruined an otherwise stellar outing for the struggling Miley, who is winless since May 10. The left-hander retired the first 14 batters he faced and allowed four hits in eight-plus innings, striking out 10. Despite the slender lead, Arizona manager Kirk Gibson didnt hesitate to send Miley back out for the ninth in search of his first career shutout. Things changed quickly, however, when Walker and Polanco reached. "I didnt make good pitches," Miley said. "Actually, the pitch to Walker was a good one, a slider down and in, but I hung a pitch to Polanco. I was making pitches all night long but I didnt make them when I needed to." Until the late miscues, it appeared Miley was on his way to his firrst victory in nine starts.dddddddddddd Miguel Montero and Aaron Hill produced consecutive RBI singles in the fifth off Pirates starter Jeff Locke. Paul Goldschmidt went 2 for 4 with a run for the Diamondbacks, who fell to 27-2 when leading after eight innings. "I want to be the guy out there with the game on the line," Reed said after blowing his fourth save. "Sometimes it doesnt go the way I want or my teammates want it to." Locke lacked Mileys crispness but allowed only two runs over eight innings, yielding eight hits while walking one and striking out three. The Diamondbacks stranded six runners in the first four innings and were on their way to doing it again in the fifth before catching a break thanks to some sloppy defence by the Pirates. Goldschmidt singled with two outs and was attempting to steal second when the Pirates sniffed it out. Locke threw to Gaby Sanchez at first to start the rundown, but the burly Goldschmidt was safe at second when Sanchezs throw to shortstop Jordy Mercer sailed into left field. Montero followed with a single that brought Goldschmidt home, and Montero scored moments later on Hills flare to shallow right. Given some room to work with, Miley didnt let it go to waste. He struck out the side in the seventh and had little trouble in the eighth. Arizona nearly extended its lead to 3-0 in the ninth, only to have Gerardo Parra thrown out at home trying to score on a single to right by Ender Inciarte. Less than 15 minutes later, the Pirates were celebrating their second win in 35 games when trailing after eight innings. NOTES: Pirates LHP Francisco Liriano is scheduled to pitch four innings in a simulated game Wednesday. Liriano, on the disabled list with a strained left oblique, threw 52 pitches without an issue in the bullpen on Sunday. ... An MRI on Arizona SS Chris Owings left shoulder Monday revealed no structural damage. Owings went on the disabled list Sunday with a left shoulder strain. Gibson called the injury just a bruise. Owings wont hit for about a week, but Gibson is confident the rookie will be able to return when his 15-day stint on the DL is up, barring any setbacks. ... The series continues Wednesday when Arizonas Chase Armstrong (5-3, 3.63 ERA) faces Pittsburghs Charlie Morton (4-9, 3.41). ' ' '