Preview: Cardinals At Mets

[April 21, 2014]  David Wright began the season hitting .192, but the New York Mets third baseman has put together an 11-game hitting streak to shake off the slow start. The Mets host the Cardinals in the opener of a four-game series Monday with Wright hitting .380 during his streak. including four hits Sunday. St. Louis is 4-3 on its current 11-game road trip but has allowed just nine runs in its past four games.

Both teams will keep a close eye on their starting pitchers in the series opener. New York's Jenrry Mejia has a blister on the middle finger of his right hand, while the Cardinals promoted Tyler Lyons from Triple-A Memphis to start after Joe Kelly strained his left hamstring and landed on the disabled list. The Mets in particular need innings from their starter, after the New York bullpen threw eight shutout innings in Sunday's 4-3, 14-inning victory over Atlanta.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), WPIX (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Tyler Lyons (2013: 2-4, 4.75 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jenrry Mejia (2-0, 2.81)

Lyons makes his season debut after three strong starts at Triple-A Memphis, where he went 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA. He made his major-league debut last season, appearing in 12 games (eight starts) for St. Louis. Monday would have been Lyons' day to pitch for Memphis, and he allowed one run on five hits with six strikeouts in seven innings in his last start

Mejia has lasted just five innings in his past two starts, but he held Arizona scoreless on two hits to beat the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. He took a no-decision April 10 in Atlanta, surrendering four runs on six hits, but has given up one run in 11 innings in his two victories. Mejia has benefited from ample run support, getting six or more runs in two of his three starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York OF Curtis Granderson is hitless in his last 16 at-bats and is batting .127, but hit the game-winning sacrifice fly Sunday.
   

2. St. Louis 1B Matt Adams is hitting .391 in his past 12 games.
   

3. New York P Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched in relief in the final two games of the Atlanta series, after making just one relief outing in his first 124 major-league appearances.
   

PREDICTION: Mets 5, Cardinals 3

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