The Cards slip lost their sixth in a row, 6-1 to the Mets to open up a wild ride

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Miguel won for the first time in nearly a month, running back Daniel Vogelbach and returning to the lineup, as the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 Friday night in an opening series. Between two of baseball’s most disappointing teams.

Brett Batty hit a home run off of Miles Mikulas in a three-run first inning, and Tommy Pham added a pair of two RBI singles against his former team as the fourth-ranked Mets (33-36) won their second straight. After losing nine out of 10.

Wilson Contreras hired the Cardinals (27-43), who are down six in a row and 13 of 16. After winning the NL Central title last season, St. Louis has the worst record in the National League and is off to its worst start. At 45 years old.

Miguel (6-4) allowed four hits in six innings pitched, struck out seven and had no walks at all in his first win since May 18 against Tampa Bay. He was 0-2 in his previous four games, including a horrible performance last Friday in Pittsburgh when he gave up a career-high nine runs — seven earned — and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings pitched 14-7 rout.

Mikolas (4-4) lost his third straight start after winning his previous four decisions. The veteran right-hander allowed six runs and eight hits in six innings pitched.

Vogelbach sledded 0-for-12 with his third home run of the season in the sixth inning, making it 6-1 on a solo shot deep in the second set in right field. The designated hitter has not played fat since June 7, using that time to work on his swing in an effort to generate more loft and return to power production.

Dominique Lyon and Josh Walker combined for three innings of one-hit relief on Pride Night at Citi Field to end the two-hour, one-minute game, the Mets’ fastest nine-run game since May 19, 2019, with a 3-0 win in Miami in 1:59.

For the Cardinals, it was the opening game of an eight-game, 11-day trip, culminating with a two-game home run in London against the Chicago Cubs from June 24-25.

New York loaded the bases with nothing in first. Cleanup hitter Francisco Lindor rooted for a 1-2-3 double, but Batty doubled a two-run home run and Pham followed with an RBI single.

It was a rare fast start for the Mets, going 50-19 in the first half of the season.

Lindor pitched a sacrifice fly in the third, and Pham added a second RBI single to make it 5–0.

Coach room

Cardinals: Ove Lars Nutbar (bruised lower back) is slated to be the DH for Triple-A Memphis in his first rehab game on Saturday and will hopefully play the field on Sunday. … RF Dylan Carlson was shaken after being hit in the left elbow by a 91 mph cutter in the seventh, but stayed in the game. Carlson also fell to the right leg guard with a fastball in the fifth inning. … from Tyler O’Neill (low back strain) moved to the 60-day injured list to open the 40-man roster for INF/OF Richie Palacios, acquired from Cleveland for $100,000 and then optioned to Memphis. O’Neal played the catch as he ran, and he may start swinging in the next week or so, said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmul. He is eligible to be taken off the injured list on July 4.

Mets: 1B Pete Alonso (bruise and sprain left wrist bone) hits the inside cage. “He feels great. A lot of progress is being made,” manager Buck Showalter said. “We think he’ll be joining us soon.”

the next

Cardinals: RHB Adam Wainwright (2-1, 5.79 ERA) starts Saturday in the middle of the series. The 41-year-old Wainwright made his major league debut against the Mets in September 2005 and was a rookie reliever in 2006 when he saved Games 5 and 7 of the NL Championship Series versus New York. Wainwright is 4-0 in his last five games at Citi Field and 7-6 with a 4.60 ERA in 16 regular season games (14 starts) against the Mets overall.

Mets: Rookie RHP Kodai Senga (6-3, 3.34) faces the Cardinals for the first time, after pitching seven innings with a two-hit ball last Saturday to win 5-1 in Pittsburgh. Senga has a 1.93 ERA in six home runs at Citi Field.