DeJong homer lifts Cardinals past Mets

[June 17, 2019]  Paul DeJong continued to thrive against the New York Mets when he hit a tiebreaking solo homer with one out in the eighth inning as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals made the most of three hits and capped an eventful four-game series with a 4-3 victory on Sunday afternoon.

DeJong snapped a 3-3 tie when he lifted a 3-1 belt-high breaking ball from Chris Flexen (0-3) into the lower rows of the left-field seats. It was the shortstop's third homer of the four-game series, ninth career homer against the Mets and sixth career homer in New York.

DeJong's homer helped the Cardinals win three games in the weekend set. St. Louis won each game by scoring the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning or later and nearly tied the game in the ninth on Saturday when Jack Flaherty was thrown out at the plate by second baseman Jeff McNeil's throw from right field.

Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer in the first and St. Louis did not get another hit until DeJong's 13th homer. The Cardinals scored their third run when Goldschmidt scored on a double-play grounder by Yadier Molina in the fourth.

J.D. Davis, Adeiny Hechavarria and Juan Lagares produced RBI singles in the first three innings for the Mets, who dropped to 34-37.

The Mets activated second baseman Robinson Cano from a second injured list stint and the second baseman was 1-for-3.

Mets left-hander Jason Vargas exited with a cramp in his left calf that started after he fouled a pitch off his left foot. He allowed three runs and one hit in four innings.

Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong (12) hits a solo home run against the New York Mets in the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Wilmer Font followed Vargas and pitched three hitless innings before Flexen's ill-fated slider to DeJong.

St. Louis right-hander Dakota Hudson allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings with three walks and three strikeouts.

Andrew Miller (3-2) worked around a single in the seventh, Carlos Martinez pitched two scoreless innings and recorded his second save, ending the game by getting pinch hitter Wilson Ramos on a double play started by DeJong.

St. Louis took a 2-0 lead on Goldschmidt's 13th homer, but the Mets took a 3-2 lead on an RBI single by Davis in the first ahead of RBI singles by Hechavarria and Lagares in the third. St. Louis tied the game in the fourth when Goldschmidt walked and later scored on a double-play grounder by Molina.

--Field Level Media

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