New York Mets’ Kodai Senga of Japan pitches during the third inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday in New York. (Photo courtesy of Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) – Kodai Senga extended his scoreless streak to 19 innings, Pete Alonso homered and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals for the third straight day, 3-0 on Saturday.
Alonso drove in two runs and Juan Soto had an RBI single for the Mets, who have won the first three games of the four-game series.
Senga (3-1) gave up three hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings with four strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 0.79.
Reed Garrett, A.J. Minter and Edwin Díaz followed with hitless relief. Díaz pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to remain perfect in five save chances, finishing the Mets fourth shutout.
St. Louis dropped to 1-8 on the road.
Matthew Liberatore (1-2) gave up two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. His 100 pitche were the most by a Cardinals starter this season.
Soto had two hits, raising his average to .240. He had an RBI single in the third and scored on Alonso’s double. Alonso hit his sixth home run this season in the eighth off John King.
Brett Baty threw out Thomas Saggese trying to score on Yohel Pozo’s one-out grounder to third in the fifth.
Key moment
After Minter walked the bases loaded in the eighth, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor ranged over to the second base side of the bag, whirled and threw out Alec Burleson to end the inning.
Key stat
Brendan Donovan went 0 for 4, stopping his career-long 14-game hitting streak. Donovan was robbed of a hit in the fourth, when Mark Vientos made a leaping grab at third base.
Up next
Mets RHP Clay Holmes (2-1, 3.66 ERA) opposes Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (3-0, 3.13 ERA) in the series finale Sunday. The first pitch at Citi Field is scheduled for 12:40. Sunday’s game can be heard on KTLO-AM. The broadcast begins at 11:45 with Ameren Total Access.
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