Nimmo, McNeil homer to help Mets beat Cardinals for 3rd straight win
ST. LOUIS — Brandon Nimmo hit a leadoff home run, Jeff McNeil had a three-run shot and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 on Friday night for their third straight victory.
Joey Lucchesi (2-0) allowed four hits, walked two and struck out five in 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his first major league start since May 13 at Washington.
Nimmo drove the third pitch he saw from Zack Thompson (2-5) into the center-field bleachers for his 18th home run. It was his fourth leadoff home run this season and the 11th of his career, and gave him a 10-game hitting streak.
Thompson allowed two runs on six hits and walked a batter in five innings in his second major league start of the season for the Cardinals. They dropped their third straight.
Francisco Lindor hit a two-out single, advanced to second when Francisco Alvarez walked and scored on Jeff McNeil's single up the middle to expand the Mets' lead to 2-0 in the third inning.
McNeil hit his sixth home run of the season to right field off James Naile to cap a five-run seventh inning that saw the Mets pull ahead 7-0.
Richie Palacios hit a two-out RBI double to left field in the bottom of the ninth inning to spoil the Mets' bid for their sixth shutout of the season.
WINNING SEASON
Masyn Winn, a 2020 Cardinals second-round draft pick, went 1 for 4 and started at shortstop in his major league debut. He hit a dribbler down the third-base line in the fifth for his first hit.
ROSTER MOVES
Mets: Optioned RHP Grant Hartwig to Triple-A Syracuse and recalled Lucchesi.
Cardinals: Placed OF Lars Nootbaar (lower abdomen contusion) on the 10-day injured list and recalled Winn from Triple-A Memphis.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cardinals: RHP Ryan Helsley (right forearm) strain allowed one hit and walked a batter in 1/3 of an inning in a rehabilitation appearance for Triple-A Memphis. Helsley underwent an MRI after experiencing discomfort after his previous outing Sunday for Double-A Springfield.
UP NEXT
Mets RHP Kodai Senga (9-6, 3.30 ERA) was set to start Saturday against RHP Miles Mikolas (6-8, 4.27 ERA).