Heyward gets 5 hits, Cardinals beat Mets 12

Both Heyward and manager Mike Matheny said there was “zero” concern going forward. Heyward is 10 for 20 with four RBIs in five games against the Mets this season and he’s batting. He also plunked Randal Grichuk with the bases loaded to force in the fourth run of the inning, all as reliever Carlos Torres warmed to come into the game.

“I definitely pitched to the scoreboard a little bit”, Lackey said.

Colon (9-8) gave up four runs in the first and surrendered seven runs in 4 1/3 innings. Colon, 42, was roughed up by the Cardinals for the second time, giving up 8 runs in 4 1/3 innings in a 9-0 loss May 20.

Afterward, manager Terry Collins could offer little analysis other than, “Tonight, we got our butts kicked”. “That guy has only walked nine guys all year, let alone the first guy of the game”.

“I don’t think so, because that break is going to help everybody including myself to be fresh for the second half”, Colon said through an interpreter.

“I felt good”, Colon said. “But they were really aggressive and attacked my pitches”.

The Cards are very tough to beat at home as the Mets have found out by losing the first 2 games in this series. Jason Heyward tied his personal best with five hits and had two RBIs before leaving after a single in the eighth. But Jhonny Peralta doubled leading off the fifth and Heyward followed with an RBI double to all but conclude Colon’s night.

The St. Louis Cardinals traditionally have enjoyed a considerable advantage at Busch Stadium, posting a majors-best 33-11 record this season while winning 16 of their last 21 home meetings against the New York Mets.

The Cardinals opened things with a bang, scoring four times in the bottom of the first against St. Louis starting pitcher Bartolo Colon, who, after a strong start to the campaign, has shown his age of late.

He scattered 10 hits, only catching damage when Michael Cuddyer belted a solo home run to left field in the sixth inning. He now owns a 6.18 ERA in his past five outings, ballooning his overall ERA on the season to 4.86, which ranks 42nd among the National League’s 47 qualified starters.

He remained locked in through the eighth, when he smashed a second home run 405 feet to left for his sixth RBI and third hit of the game. Cuddyer has five career home runs against Lackey, his most against any pitcher.

Colon got a visit from pitching coach Dan Warthen after facing just seven hitters and already down 3-0.

“This is the No. 1 team in baseball right now”, Cuddyer said of St. Louis.

The Mets have homered in six straight games, scoring 17 of their 19 runs via the long ball.

The Cardinals are keeping Tim Cooney (0-0, 4.34) in the rotation in place of injured Jaime Garcia (groin), who could be back before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Mets: Jonathon Niese (5-8, 3.61) has won his last two starts and held left-handed hitters to one hit in 15 at-bats his last three.