Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Allen Craig's two-run homer in the eighth
lifted the St. Louis Cardinals over the New York Mets, 5-4, in the finale of a
four-game set at Citi Field.
Craig finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored to help the
Cardinals avoid the four-game sweep. Matt Holiday went 2-for-4 with a double
and two runs scored and Rafael Furcal drove in a run for St. Louis, which
halted a five-game skid.
Marc Rzepczynski (1-3) took the win after throwing one inning of relief. Kyle
Lohse started the game and gave up one run on two hits while striking out
three over six frames.
Jason Motte earned his ninth save of the year after throwing 1 1/3 perfect
innings.
Scott Hairston hit a two-run homer and Lucas Duda had a solo homer for the
Mets, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Jon Rauch (3-5) was pegged with the loss after giving up Craig's homer. Dillon
Gee started for New York and gave up three runs -- two earned -- on six hits
and fanned eight over seven frames.
Craig's two-run blast in the eighth put the Cardinals ahead 5-3. Holiday
singled and Craig followed two hitters later with his sixth homer of the year.
The Mets got one run back in the bottom of the frame to make it 5-4. Jason
Thole singled, moved to third when Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubled and scored on
Andres Torres' sacrifice fly to right.
It wouldn't be enough, however, as Motte entered the game. After getting David
Wright to line out to end the eighth, Motte retired the side in order in the
ninth.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Holiday roped a double to
left then scored when Craig slapped one over the bag at first for a single.
But Duda's solo shot in the home half knotted it up at 1-1. It was Duda's
ninth of the year.
St. Louis pushed two across in the seventh to go ahead 3-1. Craig
walked then moved to third when David Freese singled to left-center. Daniel
Descalso then tapped one back to the pitcher, but Gee's throw short-hopped
Omar Quintanilla to allow Craig to score. Ardon Chambers followed with a
single to load the bases for Furcal, who grounded into a fielder's choice
that plated Freese.
Hairston clobbered a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the home half to even
the game at 3-3. Wright opened the frame with a single before Hairston belted
the 3-2 slider deep into the left-field stands for his seventh homer of the
season.
Game Notes
The Cardinals had just one run in the series entering Monday's game...St.
Louis will travel to Houston on Tuesday to begin a three-game set with the
Astros...Lohse is 0-4 lifetime in six career starts in New York...Wright
scored his 735th run tying him with former-Met Jose Reyes for first on the
team's all-time list...The Mets have never swept the Cardinals in a four-game
series in New York.
The Sports Network