PITTSBURGH — Ex-Met Ike Davis finally knows what it means to play meaningful games.
The Pirates would not have those meaningful games the past two years if not for the contributions of catcher Russell Martin, one of the bigger mistakes the Yankees have made, letting him get away as a free agent after the 2012 season.
The games don’t come any more meaningful than the “win or go home’’ NL wild-card adventure the Pirates will play Wednesday night against the Giants at beautiful PNC Park.
Here, they call it Buc-tober.
Martin, who has been hampered by a hamstring injury, will be back in the lineup to help guide right-hander Edinson Volquez. Davis will be on the bench because the Giants will start lefty Madison Bumgarner.
“I’m having fun,’’ Davis told The Post on Tuesday. “Playing winning baseball helps a lot of things.
“I had fun playing meaningful games the whole year, that’s the only thing different.’’
The Mets have a much brighter future than they have had in the past, but they just completed their sixth straight losing season.
“It’s a different opportunity,’’ said Davis, who was a bit under the weather. “It’s a different atmosphere. A change of pace. We’ve won a lot of games and I’m playing with some really talented players. It’s a great team, obviously.
“We have the chance to win the World Series.’’
They must survive Wednesday night to move onto the next step, an NLDS matchup against the Nationals.
Martin has been key, a free spirit who even has two skateboards in his locker he uses to go back and forth to the parking lot.
The Pirates have made the postseason both his years here, while the Yankees have not made it back to October.
“It just shows the importance of having a catcher,’’ Martin said. “There are certain things you can’t really calculate with statistics. I feel I create a positive influence on my team, I play for the team.’’
This past offseason the Yankees lost Robinson Cano to free agency.
“Cano was a huge loss,’’ Martin said. “He’s like our Andrew McCutchen, he is that rock in that lineup. You have to go through him every time.’’
Davis hit just .233, though his on-base percentage was .344 and he drove in 51 runs with his 360 at-bats and hit 11 home runs in his new role as a platoon player.
Davis said he is happy for Lucas Duda, who produced 30 home runs.
“I always knew he was a great player,’’ the first baseman said.
“I don’t have any bad remarks about playing for the Mets. This is just different than anything that I’ve experienced. We didn’t win very many games [with the Mets] or have chances to make the postseason in any of the seasons.
“Every game here meant something so it was easier to play. Every game really mattered.’’
Davis then offered this fascinating viewpoint of playing “meaningful’’ games.
“It took away from the selfishness of the game, as far as, ‘What are my stats?’ When a guy was on second base with no outs, I’m just thinking of getting him over to third base, no matter what,” Davis said. “If I hit a ground ball to first, I was happy. It’s all about winning. That’s how baseball is supposed to be played.
“I love New York. I’m still going to visit in the offseason. I loved playing there, it’s just that it’s over. Right now I’m a Pirate and we’ll see where I land [next season]. I feel like I’m a tough out, I feel I can drive the ball and get on base at a good rate and play good defense. I’ve learned stuff this year, hopefully I can get back to where I know I can play and put up better numbers.
“I’m only 27. If I’m able to have a full offseason of working out, I will be better.’’
All that is for tomorrow. Today there is a meaningful game to play.