PITTSBURGH --- Matt Harvey has made just 45 starts in the major leagues, many of them brilliant, but the New York Mets ace knew from the start that he was going to have a tough time Saturday.

"It was one of those days where if I tried to spin it, it was over the middle," the right-hander said. "I tried to throw a fastball in, it was away and vice versa. It's just a pretty terrible outing."

Center fielder Andrew McCutchen hit a first-inning home run, doubled and finished with three hits as the Pittsburgh Pirates routed Harvey and the Mets 8-2 with the 25-year-old giving up a career-high seven runs in a career-low four innings.

First baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his eighth home run of the season and a double while driving in two runs. Third baseman Josh Harrison's second hit, a two-run double, capped a four-run fourth against Harvey that pushed the Pirates' lead to 7-1.

"I'm not surprised," Harrison said of the Pirates' outburst. "It shows what we're capable of doing if we're patient, get good pitches to hit and don't miss them. We know how good Harvey is, but we feel we're capable of beating anybody."

Harvey's streak of 16 consecutive scoreless innings ended quickly when McCutchen hit a two-run homer, his sixth home run of the season, with one out to open the scoring.

It only got worse for Harvey (5-2), who gave up six hits and two walks while striking out four. He is 0-2 in his last four starts after winning his first five.

"This is professional baseball," Harvey said. "I'd like to say it's not going to be the last time I get hit like that because hopefully I'll have a long career."

A.J. Burnett (4-1) won his fourth straight start --- the first time he has done that since July 21-Aug. 5, 2012 --- giving up one run and five hits in seven innings while striking out 10 and not issuing a walk.

The 38-year-old right-hander's performance helped give the Pirates (20-22) back-to-back wins after a stretch of six losses in seven games.

Burnett has not surrendered more than two runs in any of his nine starts this season after going 8-18 for the Philadelphia Phillies last season.

"Everyone keeps asking me what's different than previous seasons, but it really is as simple as keeping the ball down," Burnett said. "I've been able to flip balls into the spots I want and that's been big."

Even in the latter stages of his career, Burnety can get excited for a matchup like Saturday's.

"I was thinking about it all week," Burnett said. "We had a sellout crowd (of 39,385), I could hear the A.J. chants and the Harvey chants and it was just a lot of fun."

Second baseman Daniel Murphy had three hits and an RBI for the Mets (24-20), who lost for the fourth time in five games. New York shortstop Ruben Tejada hit his first home run of the season to lead off the eighth.

McCutchen's homer came after Harrison led off the bottom of the first with a single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games on a day in which the fans received bobblehead dolls in the third baseman's likeness.

Alvarez, the first baseman, led off the second with his eighth homer to increase the lead to 3-0.

Harrison's double in the fourth came after Alvarez hit an RBI double and Burnett lofted a sacrifice fly, leading the Pirates to their 11th win over the Mets in their last 15 meetings.

NOTES: Mets 3B David Wright developed stiffness in his lower back at extended spring training camp at Port St. Lucie and will be shut down for a week. Wright was scheduled to face live pitching on Friday for the first time since April 15 when he was placed on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Assistant GM John Ricco said Wright did not take swings as scheduled ... New York OF David Ceciliani, called up Tuesday from Triple-A Las Vegas, made his first major league start and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts as LF Michael Cuddyer was rested. … Pirates OF Andrew Lambo has not shown improvement since being placed on the disabled list on May 4 because of plantar fasciitis and there is no timetable for when he might be ready to begin a rehab assignment. ... The three-game series concludes on Sunday with New York LHP Jonathon Niese (3-4, 3.72 ERA) facing Pittsburgh LHP Francisco Liriano (1-4, 4.15).