Cardinals earn victory despite four Mets home runs

[April 22, 2019]    Paul Goldschmidt delivered a two-run single among his two hits as the host St. Louis Cardinals earned a 6-4 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday.

Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard (34) pitches to St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Marcell Ozuna (23) during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Dexter Fowler and Marcell Ozuna each had a run-scoring double and Kolten Wong added an RBI single for the Cardinals, who have scored at least four runs in each game during their 7-1 surge at home.

Dakota Hudson (1-1) overcame three solo homers and five hits total in five innings to record his first career win as a starter. Three relievers bridged the gap to closer Jordan Hicks, who struck out two in the ninth for his fifth save of the season.

Rookie Pete Alonso hit a home run against Hudson mere hours after reportedly begging New York manager Mickey Callaway to be inserted in Sunday's lineup. Alonso and Hudson were both draft picks in 2016 as well as Southeastern Conference rivals, with the former attending the University of Florida while the latter went to Mississippi State.

Robinson Cano, Michael Conforto and starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard (1-2) also hit solo homers for the Mets, who have lost six of their last eight. Cano exited the game in the seventh after he was hit by a pitch on his right hand despite umpires ruling it as a foul ball.

St. Louis rebounded after surrendering Alonso's mammoth 444-foot homer to center field in the first inning by scoring three times in the second. Wong's RBI single scored Jose Martinez before Goldschmidt slapped a two-run single past diving shortstop Amed Rosario.

Yadier Molina, who singled in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to nine games, scored Ozuna with a groundout in the third. Fowler added an RBI double down the right-field line to boost the Cardinals' lead to 5-1.

Fowler played a role in Syndergaard's fifth career homer in the fourth inning, as the ball caromed off his glove and went over the wall in center to trim St. Louis' lead to 5-2.

Ozuna regained the Cardinals' four-run cushion with a double to left-center field in the fourth before Cano and Conforto belted solo shots in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively.

--Field Level Media

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