Cardinals Lose Tight Game to Mets After Late-Game Heroics

NEW YORK — The St. Louis Cardinals fell to the New York Mets 5-4 after a dramatic night on the ballfield at Citi Field. Despite taking a lead into the late innings, the Cardinals could not hold on as Francisco Lindor hit a walk-off home run in the ninth.

The game turned on a night when the Mets decided to rest their top relievers, creating an opportunity for the Cardinals to be aggressive with their bullpen. However, they could not gain the lead when they needed it most. An early two-run lead melted away, leaving them tied or trailing as the game progressed.

“You can be aggressive with the ‘pen on a day like today and try to snatch a win,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said after the game. “Unfortunately, it was tied at that point.”

Brendan Donovan sparked hope for the Cardinals with a leadoff home run that tied the game in the ninth, but Lindor’s blast off Ryan Fernandez sent the home crowd into a frenzy. The Cardinals struggled to maintain momentum after building an early lead with five singles in the first innings, a strong start quickly unraveled as the game wore on.

Marmol’s strategy involved careful planning to maximize their bullpen in a game where they had already shorthanded themselves by not having a full roster available. “We did everything possible to get to that point while keeping the score,” Marmol said, acknowledging the challenges faced under the circumstances. The team had implemented a six-man rotation, which reduced their relief options to seven.

Starter Miles Mikolas pitched effectively through the first four innings but faced challenges in the fifth. Brett Baty led off with a double, followed by a pivotal hit from Juan Soto that tied the game 2-2, marking a turning point for the Mets.

“Every out is important,” Marmol noted, justifying his choice to leave Mikolas in the game to face Soto instead of moving to a reliever earlier.

The Mets took advantage of Cardinal pitching, with several crucial moments including a costly error by Phil Maton in the eighth inning that allowed a runner to score, and Leahy’s inability to contain the Mets’ lineup effectively in the sixth.

Despite their aggressive strategy, the Cardinals could not secure a second lead, highlighting a pervasive theme of their struggle in late-game situations. “We needed one more,” Marmol concluded, reflecting on what could have been a different game.

The Cardinals will continue their series against the Mets Saturday at 3:05 p.m. St. Louis time in what promises to be another exciting matchup.