Mets Overcome Cardinals in Season Opener with Powerful Second Inning

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets kicked off their four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals with a commanding 12-4 victory on Thursday night. The Mets ignited their offense during a four-run second inning, highlighted by Mark Vientos‘ first home run of the season.

Vientos’ homer, which barely cleared the right-field pole, marked a significant moment after going 77 at-bats without a long ball since September 27. The inning continued with Brett Baty and Francisco Lindor contributing with RBI singles, before Tyrone Taylor scored due to a rundown involving Lindor.

Lindor’s performance was exemplary; he finished with three hits and helped set the tone early for the Mets. “It felt great to finally connect again,” Vientos said. “The energy of the team really fueled my performance tonight.”

On the mound, Griffin Canning (2-1) delivered a solid performance, allowing just one run on three hits over six innings while striking out eight batters. This outing came just two days after he was sidelined by illness. Canning noted, “It was challenging to sit out the last game, but I felt strong and focused tonight.”

As the game progressed, the Cardinals struggled to contain the Mets’ offense. Andre Pallante (2-1) faced difficulties on the mound, allowing four runs and notching just as many strikeouts. Despite his efforts, the Cardinals failed to rally back from the initial deficit.

Brendan Donovan of the Cardinals extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an infield single in the third, becoming the longest active streak in Major League Baseball.

In the ninth inning, Edwin Díaz walked Cardinals’ star Nolan Arenado, but closed out the game by retiring the next three batters, earning his fourth save of the season. Díaz said, “Every save feels good, especially against a competitive team like St. Louis.”

The matchup sets the stage for a competitive series, with Mets’ LHP David Peterson (1-1, 2.70 ERA) scheduled to face Cardinals’ RHP Miles Mikolas (0-2, 9.00 ERA) in the next game. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if the Mets can maintain their momentum against the struggling Cardinals.

As the season progresses, the Mets look to capitalize on their offensive prowess, while the Cardinals seek to regroup and bounce back. The final score reflected the Mets’ dominance and suggests they may be finding their rhythm as the season unfolds.