Mets Sweep Cardinals 7-4; Nimmo, Lindor, Soto Shine

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    NEW YORK — In a thrilling finish, Brandon Nimmo’s outstanding defensive play and clutch hitting paved the way for the New York Mets to secure a 7-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. This win not only marked a four-game sweep but also etched a notable feat against the Cardinals, which the Mets had not achieved in nearly four decades.

    Francisco Lindor’s performance stood out with three hits, including a powerful leadoff home run. This sweep was historic for the Mets, being their first four-game home sweep of St. Louis. Previously, the Mets had managed such sweeps in road series against the Cardinals, with the last such occasion occurring in April 1986.

    Juan Soto contributed significantly to the Mets’ offense with three RBIs, notably a two-run double that concluded an explosive eighth inning, bringing the score to 7-3. The Mets have excelled on their home turf this season, boasting a 9-1 record, and equaled their longest ever winning streak against St. Louis, clinching their eighth consecutive victory over the team.

    Despite JoJo Romero’s efforts, resulting in a 1-2 loss for the Cardinals, their road struggles continued with a 1-9 record. This series marked the first time the Cardinals have been swept in a four-game series since facing Cincinnati in June 2021.

    The game saw the Cardinals make a comeback attempt after trailing 3-0. They notched a run against Mets starter Clay Holmes in the sixth inning and tied the game in the seventh when rookie Thomas Saggese hit a two-run double off reliever José Buttó (2-0).

    Lindor’s early aggression put the Mets on the scoreboard, launching Sonny Gray’s pitch into the right-field second deck. This leadoff homer was the 22nd of his career and the second for this season.

    Lindor’s performance continued to shine as his single in the third inning set up Soto’s sacrifice fly. Pete Alonso further consolidated their lead with a two-out RBI single in the fifth.

    One of the game’s pivotal moments saw Nimmo leaping to snatch a potential solo homer from Jordan Walker, thereby preserving the Mets’ 3-1 lead during Holmes’ demanding 91st pitch.

    Sonny Gray’s record against the Mets before this match was perfect at 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA from four starts. The Cardinals had also won his last eight starts since late August of the previous year.

    Looking ahead, the Cardinals are set to start RHP Erick Fedde against Atlanta’s RHP Spencer Schwellenbach in an upcoming three-game series. Meanwhile, the Mets will square off against their NL East rival, Philadelphia Phillies, with RHP Tylor Megill facing RHP Aaron Nola. This encounter follows last year’s season where New York ended Philadelphia’s playoff aspirations.