Cardinals top flat Mets in opener

ST. LOUIS — Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer, Paul Goldschmidt added a solo shot off Marcus Stroman and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 4-1 in a doubleheader opener on Wednesday that extended their winning streak to six.

Kwang Hyun Kim pitched four innings, combining with Ryan Hemsley (3-0), Giovanny Gallegos and Alex Reyes (ninth save in nine chances) on a two-hitter.

While the Mets received uplifting news earlier in the day when manager Luis Rojas said ace Jacob deGrom could return to the rotation on Sunday, skidding New York did little at the plate in its first game after hitting coach Chili Davis was fired and replaced by Hugh Quattlebaum.

The late-night firing Monday occurred after Mets stars Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto praised Donnie Stevenson, an apparently fictional hitting coach.

James McCann hit into a run-scoring forceout, and New York’s batting average dropped to .235 with a major league-low 77 runs. The Mets went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position, its

RISP average falling to a big league-worst .198. New York has lost five of seven and is 11-13.

Stroman (3-3) lost his third straight start, allowing four runs — two earned — and seven hits in five innings.

This was the NL Centralleading Cardinals’ first doubleheader of the season, shortened to seven-inning games under pandemic rules. The Mets were playing in their third twinbill in just over a month.

Kim gave up one run and two hits.

Paul Goldschmidt homered in the first, a 417-foot line drive off the Big Mac Land sign on the front of the third deck in left.

Nolan Arenado singled home a run with two outs in the third, and McCann’s grounder cut the gap in the fourth. Kim escaped basesloaded trouble by throwing a called third strike past Jonathan Villar and fanning Albert Almora Jr.

Arenado, who singled in his first two at-bats, reached on shortstop Francisco Lindor’s throwing error in the fifth and DeJong hit a two-run homer on a slider, his first home run this year at home after hitting six on the road.

UP NEXT

RHP Taijuan Walker (1-1) is to start Thursday’s series finale for the Mets against RHP John Gant (2-2).