NEW YORK -- Paul DeJong again picked on a favorite foe.
DeJong tagged the Mets for a tie-breaking home run in the eighth inning Sunday, sending St. Louis Cardinals over New York 4-3.
The young shortstop is 30 for 83 (.361) with 9 home runs and 10 doubles over 20 career games against the Mets. He has connected for five home runs in his last five games at Citi Field.
The Cardinals won despite getting outhit 10-3. They took three of four in the series, and DeJong homered in each victory.
"Nothing comes to mind," DeJong said of his mastery of the Mets.
DeJong connected off Chris Flexen (0-3) for his solo drive.
"He hung a 3-1 slider. I was looking fastball and I just reacted," DeJong said. "I thought they were pitching around me early in the count and they challenged me late and I was ready."
The loss was the latest in which Mets relievers couldn't shut down an opponent.
New York's bullpen has allowed 15 earned runs over its last 20 1/3 innings.
"The tale of the game was that they were one swing away, we were one swing away and they made one good swing," Mets Manager Mickey Callaway added. "They got the big one. We didn't."
The Cardinals rallied against New York's bullpen in each of their victories in the series.
"You talked about resilience, we talked about different ways we beat people," Cardinals Manager Mike Shildt said. "The entire series was indicative of that."
Paul Goldschmidt hit a prodigious home run off the facade of the second deck and scored twice for St. Louis, which went 5-5 on its season-long 10-game road trip.
Robinson Cano returned from the injured list and doubled and scored a run, and Dominic Smith had two hits in his first career start in the leadoff spot for New York, which is 5-5 over its last 10 games.
Mets starter Jason Vargas exited in the fourth inning with a cramp in his left calf. He fouled a ball off his foot and was pulled during the at-bat. He allowed three runs over four innings, matching the number of runs he'd allowed over his previous 22 innings.
Vargas anticipated being able to make his next start.
Andrew Miller (3-2) pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the victory and Carlos Martinez went two innings for his second save.
Goldschmidt's first-inning home run was the only hit the Cardinals could muster in the first seven innings against Vargas and Wilmer Font. Yadier Molina's ninth-inning single was the only other Cardinal to reach with a hit.
PADRES 14, ROCKIES 13 San Diego and Colorado set a modern-era record by combining for 92 runs in a four-game series, with Padres pitcher Matt Strahm drawing a pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning to rally past the host Rockies. It was just another wacky day at Coors Field, especially in this split series where the Rockies outscored the Padres 48-44 while the teams combined for 131 hits.
BRAVES 15, PHILLIES 1 Josh Donaldson homered for the third consecutive game, Mike Foltynewicz allowed only one run in six innings and the host Braves beat the Phillies. The Braves, who had their eight-game winning streak snapped with a 6-5 loss to the Phillies on Saturday night, won two of three in the series
NATIONALS 15, DIAMONDBACKS 5 Matt Adams hit two home runs and drove in a career-high seven runs, Anibal Sanchez got his 100th career victory, and the host Nationals beat the Diamondbacks. Adams, Anthony Rendon and Kurt Suzuki homered off Arizona reliever Zack Godley, and Adams added a grand slam against Stefan Crichton in the eighth.
BREWERS 5, GIANTS 3 Eric Thames and Jesus Aguilar homered to help the visiting Brewers avoid a sweep with a victory over the Giants. Christian Yelich had two doubles, extending his season-high hitting streak to 13 games.
PIRATES 5, MARLINS 4 Josh Bell's go-ahead double in the seventh helped lead the visiting Pirates over the Marlins.
DODGERS 3, CUBS 2 Russell Martin singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, Alex Verdugo made a game-saving catch for the game's final out and the host Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs. Los Angeles' Cody Bellinger hit his 23rd home run in front of his parents on Father's Day.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ROYALS 8, TWINS 6 Martin Maldonado celebrated Father's Day by wearing a blue necktie on his chest protector and had three hits to lift the visiting Royals over the Twins. Maldonado had several names scribbled on the tie, along with "Happy Father's Day."
RED SOX 8, ORIOLES 6 (10) Rafael Devers led off the 10th inning with a home run after Marco Hernandez tied it with a solo shot in ninth, and the visiting Red Sox beat the Orioles.
INDIANS 8, TIGERS 0 Trevor Bauer pitched his first shutout as a pro, ending the longest winless streak of his career as the visiting Indians beat the Tigers. Bauer (5-6) gave up four hits, struck out eight and walked none.
RAYS 6, ANGELS 5 Yandy Diaz hit an RBI single during host Tampa Bay's two-run eighth inning, and the Rays held off Los Angeles' late rally to beat the Angels.
YANKEES 10, WHITE SOX 3 James Paxton pitched six effective innings, Brett Gardner and Austin Romine each had four RBI and the visiting Yankees cruised past the White Sox.
BLUE JAYS 12, ASTROS 0 Trent Thornton shut down his former team into the seventh inning, Teoscar Hernandez hit two of visiting Toronto's five home runs and the Blue Jays hammered the Astros. Freddy Galvis and Hernandez each hit three-run homers in a seven-run sixth inning.
MARINERS 6, ATHLETICS 3 Kyle Seager hit a two-run double soon after right fielder Mark Canha appeared to lose a flyball in the sun, and the visiting Mariners rallied in the eighth inning to beat the Athletics.
INTERLEAGUE
REDS 11, RANGERS 3 Jesse Winker hit a home run and set career highs with four hits and five RBI, Yasiel Puig added a two-run shot, and the host Reds beat the Rangers to avoid a three-game sweep.
Sports on 06/17/2019