Cardinals power past Mets 11-4 for 3-game sweep

NEW YORK (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado each hit one of St. Louis' four homers, and the Cardinals flashed some fantastic outfield defense in beating the New York Mets 11-4 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory.

Harrison Bader homered, drove in three runs and made a timely grab at the center-field fence to help Jon Lester improve to 9-1 against the Mets. Edmundo Sosa also went deep and Goldschmidt had three hits as the streaking Cardinals completed a three-game sweep by winning their seventh in eight games.

St. Louis, which jumped into playoff position Tuesday night for the first time since May 30, moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Reds for the second NL wild card thanks to Cincinnati's 5-4 loss at last-place Pittsburgh. The Cardinals began the day one game ahead of San Diego, which started later in San Francisco.

Pete Alonso and Kevin Pillar homered for the fading Mets, who look finished in the pennant race with 15 games to go. They dropped five games behind St. Louis, with three teams in between.

Tyler O'Neill laced a two-run double in a five-run first inning against rookie Tylor Megill (3-5), who was coming off an outstanding start against the Yankees.

Running on an 0-2 pitch, Sosa scored all the way from first base on Bader's bloop, two-run single to center.

New York had a couple of chances to get back in it, but Bader and substitute right fielder Lars Nootbaar came through with clutch catches.

The speedy Bader sprinted to the wall near the 408-foot sign and left his feet a bit to snag Javier Báez's long drive with two on to end the fifth.

Nootbaar, moments after entering on defense in a double switch, robbed Alonso of a three-run homer to keep it 8-4 in the seventh.

Lester (6-6) allowed three runs — two earned — and six hits in six innings....

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Cardinals-power-past-Mets-11-4-for-3-game-sweep-16462962.php