Final Score: Cardinals 4, Mets 3—Fit to Split

The Mets, as they have done so often this season, made another valiant comeback late in this game. Much like on Sunday, they were unable to come away with a victory, and they had to settle for a doubleheader split as they fell 4-3 to the Cardinals.

The Mets got solo homers from Mark Canha and from Eduardo Escobar in the first and the fourth, respectively, off old friend Steven Matz, who was otherwise solid as he limited his former club to three hits. Taijuan Walker was great through the first three innings but faltered as he allowed a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth.

The game remained 3-2 until the eighth, when the Mets got a lucky break. Escobar struck out but was able to make it to first base on a passed ball, which put two runners on and extended the inning. From there, Jeff McNeil drove in the tying run on an opposite field single, which brought Francisco Lindor home.

Their luck would run out in the top of the ninth inning, as Buck Showalter stuck with Joely Rodriguez, who had recorded the last out of the eighth. Rodriguez walked the first batter, retired Paul Goldschmidt, and walked Dylan Carlson. At that point, Showalter turned to Adam Ottavino to get the Mets out of the jam. After striking out the pinch hitter Nolan Arenado, he induced a ground ball from the scuffling Tyler O’Neill, which should have ended the inning. However, Escobar double clutched and was unable to throw out O’Neill, which allowed the go-ahead run to score.

The Mets were unable to break through against Cardinals’ closer Giovanny Gallegos this time around, despite mounting a mini-rally with a Dominic Smith walk and a Luis Guillorme single.

Full recap to follow.