Chris Bassitt and three relievers blanked the St. Louis Cardinals on three hits Tuesday as the visiting New York Mets continued their roll with a 3-0 victory.
Bassitt (3-1) held the Cardinals to two hits in six innings. He struck out six batters and walked three.
Drew Smith, Adam Ottavino and Edwin Diaz each worked a scoreless inning of relief. Diaz earned his third save.
The Mets clinched their sixth straight series victory opening the season, setting a team record. They have won 11 of their last 14 games.
The Cardinals lost their third straight game. They have scored just 14 runs in their last seven games.
Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Hicks was hit in his right wrist by Dominic Smith’s liner in the second inning. He stayed in the game, but exited with nobody out in the third inning due to his contusion.
Hicks (1-2) allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in his two-plus innings.
Bassitt worked out of trouble in the first inning after allowing Paul Goldschmidt’s one-out single and then walking Nolan Arenado with two outs. He coaxed a popout from Dylan Carlson to strand the runners.
Jeff McNeil and James McCann opened the third inning with back-to-back doubles to put the Mets up 1-0. After Hicks walked Brandon Nimmo, Andre Pallante came on to replace him.
Starling Marte greeted Pallante with an RBI single to make it 2-0. But Francisco Lindor grounded into a double play and Pete Alonso grounded out to end the inning.
The Mets threatened again in the fifth inning when McCann hit a one-out single and Marte hit a two-out single. But Pallante finished his strong three-inning outing by getting Lindor to fly out.
Cardinals reliever Nick Wittgren hit Smith with two outs in the sixth inning, then walked Mark Canha. Packy Naughton relieved Wittgren and got McNeil to fly out.
The Mets made it 3-0 in the ninth. With one out, Canha and McNeil hit singles. Aaron Brooks walked Nimmo to load the bases and he hit Marte to force in a run.
–Field Level Media