Chris Bassitt pitched six strong innings, and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 Tuesday night for their franchise-best sixth straight series win to start a season.
Bassitt (3-1) struck out six batters and allowed two hits and two walks.
Cardinals starter Jordan Hicks hit Dominic Smith in the second and Pete Alonso was hit in the helmet by Kodi Whitley in the eighth inning, after which benches and bullpens started to clear. Both benches were warned, and tensions quickly fizzled down. Then Starling Marte was plunked by Aaron Brooks with the bases loaded in the ninth, leading to the final score.
Hicks (1-2) allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in two innings before being pulled in the top of the third inning after being struck on the right wrist by a Dominic Smith line drive in the second. It’s being called a right wrist contusion. The X-rays were negative.
The Cardinals will start LHP Steven Matz (2-1, 5.27 ERA) in his second career start against his former team in a day game today, 11:20 with the pregame and the first pitch at 12:15 on KIRX.
The first place Brewers now lead the second place Cardinals by a game in the NL Central, third place Pittsburgh is 2 1/2 out, fourth place Chicago is 3 1/2 back.