St. Louis Cardinals vs New York Mets Box Score on Jul 18, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 18, 2017

NEW YORK -- Michael Wacha tossed a three-hitter for his first career complete game Tuesday night as the St. Louis Cardinals cruised past the New York Mets 5-0 at Citi Field.

Matt Carpenter had four hits for the Cardinals (46-47), who have won the first two contests of the four-game series. The Mets (41-50) have lost three straight.

Wacha (7-3) allowed only a two-out single to Yoenis Cespedes in the first, a one-out double to Michael Conforto in the sixth and a leadoff single to Conforto in the ninth.

The right-hander, who threw eight innings or more in only two of his first 107 big league starts, walked one, struck out eight -- including Jay Bruce to end the game -- while throwing a career-high 119 pitches.

Wacha, who also helped his cause by going 1-for-4 with a run-scoring fielder's choice grounder, has won his last four starts -- a stretch in which he's allowed three runs over 26 2/3 innings.

Carpenter had two doubles, including a run-scoring two-bagger in the second, and two singles in his 11th career four-hit game. Jedd Gyorko had a sacrifice fly in the first while Wacha scored on an error in the second. Yadier Molina added an RBI single in the seventh.

Mets right-hander Rafael Montero (1-6) allowed four runs (two earned), seven hits and one walk while striking out five over six innings.

The Cardinals took advantage of shoddy Mets defense to score four runs in the first two innings.

Carpenter doubled on Montero's first pitch, went to third when T.J. Rivera threw wide of first on Tommy Pham's grounder and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gyorko.

In the second, the Cardinals opened the inning with three straight hits -- a double by Paul DeJong and singles by Kolten Wong and Magneuris Sierra -- to load the bases for Wacha, who was credited with an RBI when he beat the relay throw to first on his grounder to second.

Carpenter followed with an RBI double to score Wong and Wacha scored when Rivera misplayed a chopper by Pham.

NOTES: Mets LHP Josh Smoker (left shoulder) moved his rehab to Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday night, when he allowed two hits in a scoreless inning. ... Mets RF Jay Bruce and Cardinals 3B Jedd Gyorko were named their team's recipients of the "Heart and Hustle" award, bestowed to one player on each major league team by the Major League Baseball Players Association.