Garcia struggles as Cardinals fall 7-4 to Mets
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jaime Garcia got a reprieve for a forgettable first inning. He couldn’t make good on it.
“Just one of those days where I was battling out there and I didn’t have a good feeling of it,” Garcia said after the St. Louis Cardinals fell to the New York Mets 7-4 on Tuesday night.
Garcia (10-9) gave up a season-high six runs at home, in just four innings. New York broke a 22 1/3-inning streak in which Garcia hadn’t given up an earned run at home to the Mets.
“He just didn’t have that movement, didn’t get to work ahead in counts,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “Just kind of one of those tough ones.”
Wilmer Flores hit a three-run homer in the first to give the Mets the early lead.
After the Cardinals tied it with three runs in the bottom of the first, Garcia gave up two-out RBI hits to Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera and Justin Ruggiano drove a fastball 441 feet into the bleachers in left in the fourth.
“I wasn’t able to keep the ball down; I wasn’t able to get ahead in counts,” Garcia said. “I just didn’t get the job done.”
Brandon Moss reached three times and drove in a run while Randal Grichuk’s solo homer in the sixth extended the Cardinals’ home run streak to 12 games.
“I feel like I’m not really feeling for it just kind of letting it loose and just going out there and just kind of being me and just playing,” Grichuk said.
Yadier Molina had three hits and an RBI for St. Louis.
The Cardinals were 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position with both hits coming in the first.
“We had opportunities and needed to get those big hits, but what it really comes down to you’re down three, the offense comes back and gives you three,” Matheny said. “We need a shut down right there and those two runs (in the second) that takes a lot of wind out of your sails.”
The offense helped Mets right-hander Robert Gsellman (1-0) get the decision in his major league debut. Gsellman, pressed into action after starter Jonathon Niese left with an injury in the first inning, pitched 3 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
“It was my first time ever coming out of the bullpen so it felt kind of awkward, but you still have to take the mound the same way when you’re starting,” Gsellman said.
Reyes reached four base times and scored three runs. Cabrera had three hits, drove in a run and scored once.
Jeurys Familia earned his 42nd save.
WEB GEMS
Cabrera made a diving stop on a grounder up the middle by Jhonny Peralta to end the third. Cabrera’s stop and subsequent force out saved at least one run.
Yoenis Cespedes of the Mets robbed Stephen Piscotty of a solo homer in the sixth with a leaping catch over the left field wall.
EARLY EXIT
Niese left the game after facing four batters with left knee pain.
He retired just one of the four hitters he faced, walking two and giving up an RBI single to Moss before being lifted for Gsellman. All three runners he allowed eventually scored.
Niese and manager Terry Collins acknowledged that a trip to the disabled list is a possibility.
TRAINERS ROOM
Mets: LHP Steven Matz (left shoulder tightness) was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to Aug. 15 and INF Neil Walker was placed on the paternity leave list. Gsellman and IF T.J. Rivera were recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.
Cardinals: IF Aledmys Diaz (right thumb fracture) took ground balls for the first time since being placed on the DL on Aug. 1 and INF Matt Adams (right shoulder inflammation) expects to go on a rehab assignment this week.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (7-6, 2.73 ERA) is looking to bounce back after allowing a career-high eight runs and 13 hits in a 10-7 loss to San Francisco on Aug. 18. He is 1-1 with a 4.38 ERA in two career games against St. Louis.
Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (11-7, 3.24 ERA) allowed one run over seven innings in an 8-2 win over Houston on Aug. 17. He is 2-1 with a 1.31 ERA in his career against New York.