St. Louis @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 21, 2019 ) NY Mets 4, St. Louis 6

The New York Mets are riding the wave of positive momentum following one of their best offensive performances of the season, but those hot bats often go cold when Jacob deGrom takes the mound. The reigning National League Cy Young Award recipient hopes that trend quickly goes out of style on Thursday as the Mets open a four-game series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Rookie Pete Alonso belted a three-run homer in the first inning and Carlos Gomez and J.D. Davis also went deep as the Mets salvaged a split of their day-night doubleheader against the Yankees with a 10-4 victory in Tuesday's nightcap. Alonso has belted two of his team-leading 22 homers in his last four contests while Gomez is 5-for-11 with a pair of blasts and four RBIs during a three-game hitting streak. While the Mets have won five of seven overall and boast a 19-11 mark at Citi Field, the Cardinals were drubbed 9-0 by Miami on Wednesday to fall to 2-4 on their 10-game road trip and 13-20 away from Busch Stadium. Kolten Wong recorded one of St. Louis' three hits versus the Marlins, improving his total to 13 in his last 11 games.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Jack Flaherty (4-3, 4.08 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jacob deGrom (3-6, 3.45)

Flaherty received his fourth straight no-decision on Saturday after permitting four runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings at the Chicago Cubs. The 23-year-old has struggled mightily on the road with a 6.67 ERA while allowing the opposition to bat .291 against him, as opposed to a 2.25 ERA and .188 batting average at home. Flaherty will be making his 48th career appearance and first overall versus the Mets on Wednesday.

DeGrom fell to 1-6 in his last 11 starts despite yielding just two runs and striking out 10 in six innings in a no-decision versus Colorado on Friday. Once again, a lackluster offense and leaky bullpen provided no favors for the 30-year-old, who has received two runs or fewer of support in five starts this season. Wong (1-for-10) and Matt Carpenter (3-for-17) have struggled mightily versus deGrom, who owns a 4-2 mark with a 4.21 ERA all-time against St. Louis.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis 1B Paul Goldschmidt has scored three runs during his five-game hitting streak.

2. New York SS Amed Rosario has two homers, six RBIs and five runs scored in his last seven contests.

3. Cardinals SS Paul DeJong has hit safely in seven of his last eight games.

PREDICTION: Mets 3, Cardinals 2