MLB Insiders
The newest Busch Stadium experienced its first rain delay Tuesday night and,
when play started back up, the Cardinals didn't resume. Right-hander Brad Thompson allowed a leadoff double in the eighth inning and hit a batter, then
first baseman Albert Pujols messed up a sacrifice bunt, and soon the Mets had
four runs.
That burst extended a one-run lead the Mets had built before the 101-minute
break, and New York won the battle of two of the National League's division
leaders, 8-3.
The Cardinals bullpen had been one of the team's staples through the first
six weeks of the season, but in the last two games, the relievers have given up
eight runs in four innings.
All of St. Louis' offense came from the bottom half of the order. The Nos.
1-4 hitters were 1-for-14. The Nos. 5-8 hitters were 7-for-15.
REPLAY: As Jeff Suppan passed the 100-pitch mark in the seventh inning, which
was to be his last, he walked Jose Reyes with two outs. Reyes stole his 14th
base and scored the go-ahead run on a double by Paul Lo Duca, helping the Mets
take an 8-3 win over the Cardinals.
St. Louis had tied the game in the sixth on a single by Gary Bennett, but
Juan Encarnacion was thrown out at third to end the inning. The Cardinals had
just one hit after that, an infield single by Encarnacion in the ninth.
NOTES
--CF Jim Edmonds singled in the second inning Tuesday to extend his hitting
streak to 11 games. He has gone 16-for-36 (.444) in that span.
--RHP Jeff Suppan had won four straight starts but was stopped short of a
fifth when he gave up a run in the top of the seventh on C Paul Lo Duca's double
Tuesday.
Suppan issued four walks Tuesday, and three came around to score.
--C Gary Bennett, 4-for-12 previously against Mets LHP Tom Glavine, singled
twice, driving in a run, as he extended his hitting streak to four games. He has
handled RHP Jeff Suppan in seven of the veteran's eight starts.
--RHP Brad Thompson's streak of consecutive scoreless innings was stopped at
14 1/3 when the Mets scored four runs, two unearned, off him, in the eighth
inning Tuesday.
--It was a rough night for 1B Albert Pujols. He fouled a ball off his left
leg in the first inning and then slipped on a wet batting circle chasing a foul
fly in the eighth, hitting his back and head on the ground.