Cardinals hit 3 HRs off deGrom, break loose to beat Mets

He’d have to hit really well the rest of the way to make his 2016 line look good, but he’s been a useful player for the Mets for a little while now. Their de facto ace, Jacob deGrom, got pounded – twice.

That goes double for NY (63-63), which badly needs a victory in Thursday night’s series finale in Busch Stadium.

The Mets said Bruce was taken out for precautionary reasons. “We’re still right there”. “I don’t know what else to say other than I’ve got to keep going”.

“Even though our pitching is having some problems right now, it’s exciting to get back home”, Collins added. The Mets project a recovery timeline of at least four weeks, which would seem to make it quite unlikely (though not impossible) that Niese is able to rejoin the club in late September. They also took advantage of misplays by the Cardinals.

Mets reliever Robert Gsellman is the first pitcher in the modern era to earn a victory in his major league debut as a reliever since John Montefusco on September 3, 1974 with the Giants. LHP Jonathon Niese (left knee) underwent arthroscopic surgery to fix a meniscus tear.

Niese was scheduled to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery Thursday that will likely end his season, and the Mets are hoping Matz can return Tuesday from the shoulder tightness that landed him on the disabled list this week. Next to face Wainwright, Alejandro De Aza who cranked out a three-run homer to heavily pad the Mets lead, 7-0.

Because of injuries, the Mets had to rely on two unlikely heros Thursday.

DeGrom had a second straight brutal performance Wednesday, when he lasted only 4 ²/₃ innings against the Cardinals and allowed five runs on 12 hits.

Seth Lugo fired five scoreless innings and Alejandro De Aza set a career high with five RBI to power the Mets to the series victory. When several Cardinals chased the ball, Wainwright covered third base. Adam Wainwright gave up seven runs, only two earned in five innings. He walked two and struck out three. And the Mets tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth on a long single from Rene Rivera before Sean Gilmartin gave up a couple of solo home runs in the bottom of the inning but still managed to finish the game. He launched a three-run homer off Wainwright in the fifth. “He doesn’t have to like it, but he accepts it”.

“He didn’t stop working. We just have to win every night”.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are playing themselves into a more favorable position.

Jose Fernandez pitched seven innings and appeared to avoid a serious injury when he tweaked his right leg on his final pitch, helping the Miami Marlins beat Kansas City 3-0 in Miami to snap the Royals’ nine-game winning streak.

“Tough one, man. It’s been a tough year for me”, Wainwright said. It happens, when you’re cramping up like that.

Wilmer Flores turns a double play.

Brandon Moss hit two home runs for the Cardinals and Jedd Gyorko and Stephen Piscotty also connected. However, the real problems occurred when errors in the fourth and fifth innings led to a whopping five unearned runs.

The bullpen bent Thursday night, but the Mets caught a break and left with the crucial win. When he came in he told me right away, he said, ‘I’m gonna try to hit and see if it loosens up’.