Mets 2, Cardinals 1 (14 innings)
NEW YORK -- Pinch hitter John Mayberry's infield single with one out in the 14th inning Monday night scored Eric Campbell with the winning run as the New York Mets edged the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 at Citi Field.
The Mets (23-16) won their third in a row to extend their NL East lead over the idle Washington Nationals to one game. The Cardinals (25-13) lost for the third time in four games.
Third baseman Campbell and first baseman Lucas Duda drew walks opening the 14th against right-hander Sam Tuivailala (0-1), who was pulled for right-hander Trevor Rosenthal. A grounder to short by left fielder Michael Cuddyer forced Duda, after which second baseman Daniel Murphy was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Mayberry, the final non-catcher on the Mets' bench, hit the first pitch he saw to shortstop, where a drawn-in Jhonny Peralta made a diving stop. However, Peralta could not force Campbell at the plate as the game ended after 4 hours, 14 minutes.
The Mets mobbed Mayberry, who has just five hits in 36 at-bats (.139).
Right-hander Carlos Torres (2-2) allowed one hit in two innings to earn the win.
The Cardinals came back in the ninth against the Mets' closer, right-hander Jeurys Familia, who gave up a one-out single to first baseman Matt Adams. Catcher Yadier Molina followed with a single to right to send pinch runner Pete Kozma to third. Right fielder Jason Heyward then lofted a sacrifice fly to right.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision despite masterful performances.
Mets right-hander Matt Harvey allowed six hits and one walk while striking out nine over eight shutout innings. He has thrown 16 consecutive scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 1.98.
The Cardinals had only one legitimate threat against Harvey. With two outs in the first, left fielder Matt Holliday reached on an error by Campbell and went to third on a double by Peralta. However, Harvey got Adams to fly out to deep right to end the inning.
Cardinals right-hander John Lackey nearly matched Harvey by allowing one run on three hits and no walks and six strikeouts over seven innings. Lackey threw just 76 pitches but was lifted for pinch hitter Peter Bourjos leading off the eighth.
Lackey set down the first nine batters he faced before Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson led off the fourth with a double. Campbell advanced Granderson with a groundout to first. Duda followed with an RBI single through shortstop, which had been vacated by the shift Cardinals manager Mike Matheny employed against the left-handed hitting Duda.
NOTES: The injury-plagued Mets got some good news Monday, when 3B David Wright (right hamstring, back) was cleared to resume baseball activities and C Travis d'Arnaud (broken right pinky finger) began swinging a bat. Wright was injured April 14 and d'Arnaud was hurt April 19. The Mets have a major-league-leading 13 players on the disabled list. ... Two other injured Mets, RHP Vic Black (right shoulder, neck) and RHP Bobby Parnell (Tommy John surgery), will each make at least one more rehab appearance at Class A St. Lucie before moving up. ... Cardinals manager Mike Matheny picked up his 300th career win in his 523rd game Sunday. Only five managers earned 300 wins in fewer games than Matheny. ... The Cardinals released INF Scott Moore, a veteran of 152 major league games, from Triple-A Memphis.