Cardinals at Mets
After wrapping up their 5-4 road trip with an impressive victory, the New York Mets hope to begin their nine-game homestand with another when they open a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday. New York, which has lost three straight at home, rode a strong pitching performance to a 3-0 triumph at Miami on Sunday as Steven Matz and three relievers combined on a five-hitter.
The victory pulled the Mets within one-half game of the Marlins for the second wild-card spot in the National League and five of first-place Washington in the East. St. Louis ended its 6-4 homestand on a sour note, dropping the final two contests of a three-game series against Los Angeles after recording a 16-inning victory in the opener. The Cardinals, who remained a game behind Miami in the wild-card standings and fell 7 1/2 behind the Chicago Cubs for first in the NL Central, made Sunday's loss respectable, scoring five runs after facing an early 9-1 deficit. Stephen Piscotty appears to be heating up at the plate for St. Louis as he has posted back-to-back 2-for-4 performances.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (9-6, 2.83 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (9-4, 2.43)
Martinez has won each of his last two starts, allowing three runs and eight hits while registering 16 strikeouts in 12 innings. The 24-year-old Dominican has given up three runs or fewer in each of his last nine outings, going 5-1 in the process. Martinez, who has posted a 5-1 record and 1.71 ERA in seven road starts this season, is 1-1 with a 0.57 ERA in five career meetings (two starts) with New York.
Syndergaard has won just one of his last four starts, settling for a no-decision at Chicago on Tuesday after limiting the Cubs to an unearned run in 5 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old Texan has worked more than six innings only once in his last five outings but has won seven of his last nine decisions since suffering back-to-back losses May 1 and 6. Syndergaard lost his only career start against the Cardinals on July 17, 2015, despite yielding two runs and five hits over seven frames in St. Louis.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mets 2B Neil Walker is 4-for-16 lifetime against Martinez with two home runs and a triple.
2. St. Louis 1B Brandon Moss (ankle) and 2B Matt Carpenter (oblique) are expected to begin rehab assignments this week.
3. New York OF Michael Conforto is 5-for-11 in five games since returning from the Triple-A Las Vegas.