ST. LOUIS — In a game filled with offensive firepower, the New York Mets halted a two-game skid with a decisive 9-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. This triumph not only ensured the team avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season but also extended their winning run against the Cardinals to nine games.
The Mets’ offensive onslaught was spearheaded by Pete Alonso, who blasted a pivotal eighth home run. This two-run shot soared 417 feet into the center-field stands off an 0-2 changeup, shifting the momentum and handing the Mets a 4-3 lead. Brandon Nimmo also contributed significantly, launching his seventh home run in the seventh inning against John King.
Francisco Alvarez played an instrumental role by securing three singles and three RBIs. His efforts supported the pitching of Clay Holmes, who improved his record to 4-1 with this outing. Meanwhile, Sonny Gray, previously undefeated against the Mets with a 4-0 record, experienced his first loss when facing New York.
Holmes, despite receiving a painful blow to his right ankle from Alec Burleson’s comebacker in the second inning, managed to hold the Cardinals to three runs and eight hits over six innings. Gray, struggling on the mound, allowed five runs—four earned—in just 4 1/3 innings, marking his shortest appearance of the season.
Masyn Winn provided a bright spot for the Cardinals with three hits and an RBI. He crossed the plate due to Willson Contreras’ single during the third inning, which temporarily gave St. Louis a 3-2 edge. However, Holmes then settled into form, retiring the next eight batters he faced.
A critical moment came in the fifth inning when Contreras mishandled a relay throw that could have culminated in an inning-ending double play. Nimmo took advantage of the error to dash home, increasing New York’s lead. Alvarez then followed up with an RBI single, further cementing the Mets’ advantage at 6-3.
On a noteworthy statistical front, Pete Alonso now boasts 13 home runs in 135 at-bats against St. Louis. This impressive frequency of one homer every 10.4 at-bats ranks second among players with a minimum of 100 at-bats against the Cardinals, trailing only the Hall of Famer Jim Thome, who averaged a homer every 5.6 at-bats.
Looking ahead, the Mets will send Tylor Megill, with a 3-2 record and a stellar 1.74 ERA, to the mound on Saturday. Megill has not allowed an earned run in his past two starts. He will face off against Erick Fedde of the Cardinals, who currently holds a 1-3 record with a 4.68 ERA.