Mets fall to Cards in 13

St. Louis — Dexter Fowler has hit in six different lineup slots in the last six games for the St. Louis Cardinals. In the series finale against the New York Mets, he was at the right spot at the right time.

Fowler's 13th-inning single capped a comeback from a pair of deficits Thursday and gave the Cardinals a 4-3 victory.

"I'm a swing man, I'm hitting everywhere," Fowler quipped. "First, second, I'm trying to get all nine. Some people play all nine positions, I just hit everywhere."

The lineup juggling has been an attempt by Cardinals manager Mike Matheny spark Fowler and several other hitters after a slow start. Fowler has three RBIs in his last two games.

"My swing's there," Fowler said. "I've just been hitting stuff off the end of the bat, not hitting it the way I want to. I'm barreling it, just towards the end."

St. Louis trailed 2-0 in the seventh and 3-2 in the 10th. Tommy Pham had four hits and scored twice, a day after leaving a game after cutting his head with his bat while warning up in an indoor batting game. He played with a large bandage on his head.

"It could have been worse," Pham said. "I'm just extremely lucky."

Jose Martinez walked with one out in the 13th against Paul Sewald (0-1), took second on a single by Marcell Ozuna and scored when Fowler singled to right for his sixth game-ending RBI.

John Gant (1-0), recalled from Triple-A Memphis before the game, pitched three perfect innings of relief for his second big league win. His first was for Atlanta against the Mets on June 17, 2016.

"He was finishing that game," Matheny said. "He did a good job of finishing that game."

St. Louis won its second straight against the Mets after losing the series opener in 10 innings. The Mets have lost eight of 12 after an 11-1 start.

"It would be frustrating if we weren't where we are at in the standings," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "Were still in a pretty good spot, so what has happened the last week or week-and-a-half is not going to continue to happen. That's just not going to happen, 'cause we have really good pitchers and really good players."

Mets starter Noah Syndergaard allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits in 7 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and no walks.