Cardinals 10, Mets 2
NEW YORK -- Right-hander Michael Wacha remained undefeated Tuesday night, throwing seven strong innings and adding a safety squeeze to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 10-2 rout of the New York Mets at Citi Field.
The Cardinals (26-13) won for just the fourth time in their past 10 games but still have the best record in baseball. The Mets (23-17) had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Wacha (6-0) moved into a tie with New York Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon -- who starts against the Cardinals on Wednesday -- for the National League lead in wins by allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five. His ERA rose from 2.06 to 2.13.
The Cardinals scored one run in each of the first four innings before busting out for six runs in the sixth against Mets left-hander Jonathon Niese (3-4) and right-hander Erik Goeddel.
St. Louis right fielder Randal Grichuk had three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run double in the sixth. First baseman Mark Reynolds also had three hits, including a solo homer in the fourth. Center fielder Peter Bourjos and shortstop Jhonny Peralta each had two hits and an RBI.
Niese, who entered the game ranked 10th in the NL with a 2.49 ERA, gave up eight runs on 11 hits and one walk while striking out one in five-plus innings. The first four batters in the sixth inning reached against Niese, who was chased following a two-run double by second baseman Kolten Wong.
Second baseman Daniel Murphy hit a two-run homer for the Mets.
St. Louis needed just three pitches in the first to equal its run total from Monday. Bourjos led off with a single and scored on Grichuk's double.
Wacha's safety squeeze in the second scored Wong. Grichuk tripled leading off the third and scored on a single by Peralta. Reynolds led off the fourth with a long homer to left.
The Mets cut the gap in half in the bottom of the fourth when Murphy hit a two-run homer that landed just fair and just over the right field fence.
NOTES: The Mets recalled OF Darrell Ceciliani from Triple-A Las Vegas and designated OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis for assignment. Ceciliani, who was hitting .336 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 37 games at Las Vegas, went 1-for-2 Tuesday in his major league debut. Nieuwenhuis had just three hits and 17 strikeouts in 38 at-bats this season. ... The Mets on Monday signed international free agent Lednier Ricardo, a 27-year-old who was the Cuban national team's starting catcher in 2012 and 2013. ... Cardinals OF Jon Jay (left wrist tendinitis) swung in the batting cages Tuesday and could return from the 15-day disabled list when eligible May 26. ... Left-handed-hitting 3B Matt Carpenter, who went 0-for-6 with three strikeouts in St. Louis' 14-inning loss Monday, sat out with the Cardinals facing Mets LHP Jonathon Niese.