Mets dump Cards in twinbill opener

NEW YORK — Facing emerging right-handed ace Miles Mikolas, Mets manager Buck Showlater stacked his lineup with six lefties and two switch-hitters.

That played just right for the NL East leaders.

Jeff Mcneil and Dominic Smith helped New York chip away at Mikolas, Trevor Williams was sharp in a spot start and the Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Tuesday to open a doubleheader.

Mcneil and Smith each had two hits, including an RBI double apiece in the third inning. Mcneil also narrowly missed a homer foul during a 12-pitch at-bat against Mikolas in the first and Smith singled and scored on a groundout in the second.

“A lot of good at-bats,” Showalter said. “We didn’t strike out a whole lot off him until later on. He’s a good one. He’s got a lot of weapons.”

Mikolas (3-2) entered with a 1.49 ERA but allowed a season-high three runs (two earned) over six innings. The 33-year-old right-hander matched a season most with seven hits allowed and threw a season-high 106 pitches.

“They were putting some good swings on the ball early,” Mikolas said. “I think we made an adjustment with our pitch calling and I was able to have a couple clean innings.”

Paul Goldschmidt homered for St. Louis, which opened a seven-game trip with its first doubleheader this season.

St. Louis put two runners on against Edwin Díaz in the ninth, but the Mets closer struck out Harrison Bader swinging to end his ninth save.

New York, coming off its first series loss this year against Seattle, has won 12 straight games following a defeat.

It was the first meeting between the teams since a bench-clearing scuffle in St. Louis on April 27. After four Mets hitters were plunked in the series, New York reliever Yoan López threw a pitch near Nolan Arenado’s head that sparked the melee.