Megill, Vogelbach snap out of slumps as the Mets deck the skidding Cardinals 6-1

NEW YORK (AP) — Tylor Megill won for the first time in almost a month, slumping Daniel Vogelbach homered in his return to the lineup and the New York Mets beat the skidding St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 on Friday night in a series opener between two of baseball’s most disappointing teams.

Brett Baty hit a two-run double off Miles Mikolas in a three-run first inning, and Tommy Pham added a pair of two-out RBI singles against his former team as the fourth-place Mets (33-36) won their second straight after losing nine of 10.

Willson Contreras homered for the Cardinals (27-43), who have dropped six in a row and 13 of 16. After winning the NL Central last season, St. Louis has the worst record in the National League and is off to its worst start in 45 years.

Megill (6-4) allowed four hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking none for his first victory since May 18 against Tampa Bay. He was 0-2 in his previous four outings, including a dreadful performance last Friday in Pittsburgh when he gave up a career-high nine runs — seven earned — and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings of a 14-7 defeat.

Mikolas (4-4) lost his third consecutive start after winning his previous four decisions. The veteran right-hander permitted six runs and eight hits in six innings.

Vogelbach snapped an 0-for-12 skid with his third homer of the season in the sixth, making it 6-1 with a solo shot deep into the second deck in right field. The beefy designated hitter hadn't played since June 7, using that time to work on his swing in an attempt to generate more loft and get back to producing power.

Dominic Leone and Josh Walker combined for three innings of one-hit relief on Pride Night at Citi Field to finish a game that took just 2 hours, 1 minute, the fastest nine-inning Mets game since May 19, 2019, a 3-0 win at Miami in 1:59.

For the Cardinals, it was the opener of an eight-game, 11-day trip that culminates with two games in London against the Chicago Cubs from June 24-25.

New York loaded the bases with none out in the first. Cleanup hitter Francisco Lindor grounded into a 1-2-3 double play, but Baty doubled home two runs and Pham followed with an RBI single.

It was a rare fast start for the Mets, outscored 50-19 in the first inning this season.

Lindor delivered a sacrifice fly in the third, and Pham added his second RBI single to make it 5-0.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: OF Lars Nootbaar (bruised lower back) is scheduled to be the DH for Triple-A Memphis in his first rehab game Saturday and then will hopefully play the field Sunday. ... RF Dylan Carlson was shaken up after getting hit on the left elbow by a 91 mph cutter in the seventh, but stayed in the game. Carlson was also plunked on the right shin guard by a fastball in the fifth. ... OF Tyler O’Neill (lower back strain) was transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man roster spot for INF/OF Richie Palacios, acquired from Cleveland for $100,000 and then optioned to Memphis. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said O’Neill played catch and is running, and might start taking swings in the next week or so. He is eligible to come off the injured list July 4.

Mets: 1B Pete Alonso (left wrist bone bruise and sprain) is hitting in the indoor cages. “He feels good. Making a lot of progress,” manager Buck Showalter said. “We think he'll be joining us before long.”

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (2-1, 5.79 ERA) starts Saturday in the middle game of the series. The 41-year-old Wainwright made his major league debut against the Mets in September 2005 and was a rookie reliever in 2006 when he saved Games 5 and 7 of the NL Championship Series versus New York. Wainwright is 4-0 in his last five starts at Citi Field and 7-6 with a 4.60 ERA in 16 regular-season outings (14 starts) against the Mets overall.

Mets: Rookie RHP Kodai Senga (6-3, 3.34) faces the Cardinals for the first time, after pitching seven innings of two-hit ball last Saturday to win 5-1 in Pittsburgh. Senga has a 1.93 ERA in six starts at Citi Field.

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