Preview: Cardinals at Mets (Game 2)

[July 26, 2016]  The St. Louis Cardinals got a much-needed rest thanks to Mother Nature when Monday’s series opener at the New York Mets was postponed due to rain. The rest ends with at least 18 innings in one day when the series kicks off with a single-admission doubleheader on Tuesday.

The Cardinals did not get into New York until 6:45 a.m. on Monday in part due to thunderstorms in the St. Louis area that followed the team East, washing out Monday’s game. St. Louis finished up a disappointing 6-4 homestand with a pair of losses to the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend and watched on Monday as its biggest rivals and the team it’s chasing in the National League Central – the Chicago Cubs – got stronger by trading for closer Aroldis Chapman. The Mets have traded wins and losses over the last nine games and find themselves in a similar position to last season in front of the trade deadline, hanging in games on the strength of the pitching while searching for more offense. New York took off after bringing in Yoenis Cespedes, Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe in 2015 and is searching for another spark to get it out of third place in the NL East.

TV: 7:40 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (7-6, 3.98 ERA) vs. Mets RH Bartolo Colon (8-5, 3.48)

Garcia broke out of a two-start funk by holding San Diego to one run and six hits over 5 2/3 innings on Wednesday. The 30-year-old surrendered four runs in each of his previous two turns and has yet to string together more than two quality starts in 2016. Garcia came off the disabled list following arm surgery on May 21, 2015, against New York and allowed two runs on five hits and five walks in seven innings.

Colon was pounded for six earned runs in two of his last three starts, including a loss at the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. The 43-year-old Dominican surrendered a pair of home runs and notched just one strikeout in the most recent setback. Colon went 0-2 in two starts against St. Louis last season and was knocked around for 15 earned runs and 19 hits in 8 2/3 frames.
 

WALK-OFFS

1. The Cardinals purchased the contract of veteran RHP Jerome Williams from Triple-A Memphis and optioned RHP Mike Mayers.

2. Johnson is expected to start in place of 2B Neil Walker, who is mired in a 4-for-45 slump.

3. St. Louis is an MLB-best 27-16 on the road and will play 19 of its next 25 away from home.

PREDICTION: Mets 6, Cardinals 5

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