“So we’ll start there”. The Cardinals offense pounded out a season high 19 hits, including home runs from Matt Carpenter, Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty.
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It was the seventh win in nine games for the Cardinals (67-58), who are battling several opponents for one of the two wild-card spots in the National League.
It was deGrom’s second straight loss and the third in his last six starts. In 21 appearances for Las Vegas, he went 1-1 with one save and a 4.94 ERA.
Five players recorded RBI, and the Mets (63-62) have won three straight games for the first time since July 2-4.
Facing Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants Thursday night, deGrom suffered perhaps the worst outing of his big league career. NY third baseman Jose Reyes matched Asdrubal Cabrera with three hits at the top of the order to improve to 15-for-38 over his last nine games. The last time was exactly a year ago, August 24, 2015 against Philadelphia. It was his 11th start out of 24 in which he allowed one run or none and the fourth start in succession he had held the Mets to two runs or fewer.
It could not be a worse time for deGrom to struggle.
Mets: Seth Lugo (0-2, 3.04) makes his second start in place of injury Steven Matz (left shoulder tightness), who could return late this month.
While the Mets are hopeful Matz, who was placed on the disabled list Monday with shoulder tightness, will be able to start next week, that will not be determined until the Mets return to NY and see him throw a side session.
Jacob deGrom has hit a speed bump at an inopportune time. The lefty hadn’t allowed an earned run in 22 1/3 career innings against the Mets at home before Wilmer Flores ripped a three-run homer to left in the first.
Randall Grichuk smashed a solo homerun in the loss for St. Louis.
Yadier Molina was caught stealing third and Randal Grichuk was thrown out at the plate in the second inning Wednesday. Piscotty snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-out RBI infield hit in the third that scored Jedd Gyorko, who singled and reached third on Brandon Moss’ single.
The latest setback to a beleaguered NY pitching staff came early Tuesday, when Niese could not make it out of the first inning against the Cardinals in the teams’ series opener at Busch Stadium.
He retired just one of the four hitters he faced, walking two and giving up an RBI single to Moss before being lifted for Gsellman.
That was it for deGrom. “I got to be ready for that”.
Mets manager Terry Collins said that Jon Niese will undergo surgery on his left knee.
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The Mets are playing to the OVER in seven of their last eight games, UNDER in five of their last seven against the NL Central and UNDER in 12 of their last 17 road games against a righty while the Cards are 6-2 in their last eight overall, 4-0 in Waino’s last four Thursday starts, and 41-18 in his last 59 home starts.
