Marcus Henry's here again to guide you through the final installment of Mets vs. Cardinals. The Mets really need a win here before they trek to Philadelphia for a four-game set.
Mets (41-43) at St. Louis Cardinals (49-37), 8:15 p.m.
Starters: Mike Pelfrey (5-6, 4.47) for the Mets and Mitchell Boggs (3-0, 4.37) for the Cardinals.
Last starts: Pelfrey wasn't great in his last start against the Yankees last week. But he didn't need to be. Pelfrey gave up eight hits and four runs in five innings in the Mets 15-6 win over the Yankees last Friday. It's worth noting that Pelfrey has won his last three starts, including 5.2 innings of three-hit, scoreless baseball in a win over Colorado on June 22. It's also worth noting that Pelfrey has shaved half a run off his ERA since May 10th. Boggs has been a pleasant surprise for the Cardinals. The 24-year-old righty give up just one run in six innings in a win over the Royals on June 28. In a win over Boston on June 21 he gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Good times, bad times: One good thing going for the Mets is that they can salvage a split with a win tonight. That notwithstanding, losing the way they did last night couldn't have left a good feeling in their mouths. The Mets fought back and actually led 7-5, only to have the pen blow the lead, blowing a chance at leaving St. Louis with a .500 record. The Mets also blew a chance to cut the gap between themselves and the Cardinals in the wild card race.
The game's first pitch, scheduled for 8:15, will be delayed due to heavy rains earlier in the day. The St. Louis ground crew put the tarp back on. Stay tuned for more updates. First pitch is scheduled for 8:40.
A couple of quick notes: Louis Castillo was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained hip flexor and Carlos Muniz was demoted. The Mets purchased the contract of second baseman Argenis Reyes and called up outfielder Chris Aguila from Triple-A New Orleans.
Top 1st: Jose Reyes chops the second pitch to the pitcher for the first out. Endy Chavez reached on an infield single. David Wright walked on five pitches. Chavez moved to second. Ryan Church walked to load the bases. Carlos Delgado scored Chavez with a sacrifice fly to right. Wright moved to third. Mets lead 1-0. Church moved to second on a wild pitch. Damion Easley scored Wright on a broken-bat line drive that bounced off the pitcher's glove. Mets lead 2-0. Church moved to third. Marlon Anderson reached on an error by the pitcher. Church scored. Mets lead 3-0. Easley moved to second. Ramon Castro flied out to center for the third out.
Mets 3, Cardinals 0
Bottom 1st: Aaron Miles grounded out to shortstop for the first out. Chris Duncan singled up the middle. Albert Pujols struck out for out number two. Rick Ankiel walked. Duncan moved to second. Troy Glaus flied to center for the final out.
Mets 3, Cardinals 0
Top 2: Mike Pelfrey grounded out to the pitcher for the first out. Reyes grounded out to second for the second out. Chavez grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.
Mets 3, Cardinals 0
Bottom 2: Ryan Ludwick lined out to third for the first out. Yadier Molina singled up the middle. Molina was thrown out by Ramon Castro attempting to steal for the second out. Mitchell Boggs struck out for the third out.
Mets 3, Cardinals 0
Top 3: Wright flied out to centerfield. Church legged out a double to left centerfield. Delgado walked. Easley reached on an infield single to load the bases. Anderson reached on a fielder's choice to second. Easley was forced out at second, 4-6, and Church scored. The Mets lead 4-0. Castro walked, loading the bases. Pelfrey lined a single to right, scoring Delgado. Mets lead 5-0. Reyes tripled to center, scoring Anderson, Castro and Pelfrey. It was Reyes' 62 triple of his career, tying Mookie Wilson's club record. The Mets lead 8-0. Chavez doubled to right centerfield, scoring Reyes. The Mets lead 9-0. Wright grounded out to shortstop. Six runs in.
Mets 9, Cardinals 0
Bottom 3: Adam Kennedy flied out to left on the first pitch for the first out. Aaron Miles singled up the middle, extending his hit streak to 15 games. Duncan grounded into a 1-6-3 double play.
Mets 9, Cardinals 0
Top 4: Church struck out for the first out. Delgado grounded out to second. Easley grounded out to second for the third out.
Mets 9, Cardinals 0
Bottom 4: Pujols flied out to centerfield. Ankiel popped out to second. Glaus struck out looking for the third out.
Mets 9, Cardinals 0
Top 5: Anderson singled up the middle to lead off the inning. Castro struck out swining for the first out. Pelfrey sacrificed Anderson to second. Pelfrey is out 2-3. Anderson advanced to third on a wild pitch. Reyes walked. Chavez bounced into a fielder's choice. Reyes was forced at second, 4-6, for the third out.
Mets 9, Cardinals 0
Bottom 5: Ludwick singled to shallow left. Molina grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Boggs grounded out to the pitcher for the third out.
Mets 9, Cardinals 0
Top 6: Wright walked. Church lined out to first. Delgado belted a two-run homer to right. The Mets lead 11-0. Easley grounded out to third for the second out. Anderson lined a single to centerfield. Castro grounded out to third.
Mets 11, Cardinals 0
Bottom 6: Wright is out of the game. Fernando Tatis is in at third. Wright may have tweaked his back in the top of the sixth on Church's line out to first. Kennedy doubled to left. Miles grounded out to the pitcher. Kennedy moved to third. Duncan grounded out to first, scoring Kennedy. Mets 11, Cardinals 1. Pujols walked. Ankiel struck out swinging for the third out.
Mets 11, Cardinals 1
Top 7: Lefthander Ron Villone is in for boggs. Pelfrey struck out looking for the first out. Reyes grounded out to shortstop. Chavez grounded out to shortstop for the third out.
Mets 11, Cardinals 1
Bottom 7: Argenis Reyes is in at second for Easley. Glaus filed out to deep center. Ludwick struck out swinging for the second out. Molina doubled to right centerfield. Brian Barton is pinch hitting. Barton struck out swinging.
Mets 11, Cardinals 1
Top 8: Brendan Ryan is in at shortstop and Jason LaRue is catching for the Cardinals. Tatis flied out to right. Church struck out. Chris Aguila is batting for Delgado. Aguila struck out swinging.
Mets 11, Cardinals 1
Bottom 8: Scott Schoeneweis is in for Pelfrey. Kennedy singled off the foot of Schoeneweis. Miles walked. Duncan struck out. Braden Looper is pinch hitting. Looper struck out for the second out. Ankiel legged out an infield single to third. Kennedy moved to third. Ryan grounded out to third.
Mets 11, Cardinals 1
Top 9: Jason Isringhausen is pitching for the Cardinals. Argenis Reyes bounced out to Isringhausen. Anderson flied to right. Castro grounded out to short.
Mets,11, Cardinals 1
Bottom 9 Joe Smith is in for Schoeneweis. Ludwick reached on an infield single to third. LaRue struck out. Barton grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
Final Score: Mets 11, Cardinals 1
The Mets leave St. Louis with a split and are headed to Philadelphia for a crucial four-game set, which starts Friday. Pelfrey (6-6) picked up his fourth straight win. Mitchell Boggs (3-1) took the loss.
Pelfrey's line: 7IP, 6H, 1R, 2BB, 6K.
Boggs' line: 6 IP, 10H, 11R (10ER), 6BB, 2K
Good night Mets fans.