SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS
Mets show some life behind Lugo, de Aza to take pivotal series finale
ST LOUIS — This was just how the Mets planned it, right? On the wackiness scale, the idea of the Mets taking an important August series against the Cardinals by winning games that featured rookies Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo — while Jacob deGrom was annihilated — might seem like the stuff of fiction. But the Mets are still breathing in the race for the NL’s second wild card largely because of the unexpected. On Thursday, that meant using Lugo’s five shutout innings and Alejandro De Aza’s career-high five RBIs to beat the Cardinals 10-6 at Busch Stadium and move within 3 1/2 games of the second wild card. “We came in this series and we knew we had to pick up some ground,” manager Terry Collins said after the Mets won for the fourth time in five games. “We picked up a game, and that means a lot.” Lugo departed with a cramp in his right calf before the sixth ning on a humid night, but said afterward he was feeling better and won’t be sidelined. “I wanted to stay in, but it’s not worth the risk,” Lugo said. De Aza provided the offensive fireworks with his huge night, which included a three-run homer in the fifth inning to give the Mets a 7-0 cushion. De Aza was only in the lineup because Jay Bruce has been both- ered by a sore calf.
The Mets f inished 5-5 on the road trip and will begin a 10- game homestand Friday against the Phillies.
Lugo (1-2) allowed two hits and three walks. After taking the mound to throw his warmup pitches in the sixth, he departed with trainer Ray Ramirez. It was the second time in the series a starting pitcher left with an injury; Jon Niese faced only four batters on Tuesday and departed with knee soreness before Gsellman, in his major league debut, came to the rescue with 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Niese has since undergone arthroscopic knee surgery that likely will keep him out for the remainder of the season.
Lugo was thrust into the rotation last week, after Steven Matz incurred discomfort in his left shoulder, and gave the Mets a chance against the Giants last Friday, when he surrendered three earned runs over 6 2/3 innings. He was even sharper Thursday, allowing the only two hits of his 82-pitch outing in the second inning.
“I was really impressed again,” Collins said. “Good command of his stuff — they are a tough lineup, they have some dangerous guys — so I thought he did a nice job.”
De Aza, who finished the road trip with three homers, gave gave a fist-pump as his home run off Adam Wainwright disappeared behind the right-field fence.
“I was looking for that pitch and I got it, but I didn’t think I hit it out,” De Aza said. “Once I got it, I got a little bit excited.”
All four runs the Mets scored against Wainwright in the fifth inning were unearned after shortstop Greg Garcia booted Wilmer Flores’ grounder.
The Cardinals’ best chance early came in the first, when leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter hit a shot to center that De Aza caught at the top of the fence.
“[De Aza] knows his role, he doesn’t have to like it, but he accepts and gets himself ready,” Collins said. “All he’s needed was a chance to play a little bit, and when he’s got it he’s made the most of it.”