Mets Beat Cardinals 4-1 to split four game series behind a dominating performance by Taijuan Walker

Mets RHP Taijuan Walker (Credits to Kam Nedd-USA Today Sports) The New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 this afternoon to split their four game series and improved their record back to .500 at 13-13. The offense was held scorless for the first four innings due to several missed scoring opportunities until the top of the fifth after Cardinals 3B Nolan Arenado made a throwing error and four straight straight walks including two to 3B Jonathan Villar and catcher James McCann with the based loaded by Cardinals starter RHP John Gant led to two runs. The bats went quiet until the top of the eighth after 2B Jeff McNeil and SS Francisco Lindor led off the inning with walks and then RF Michael Conforto singled to load the bases. 1B Pete Alonso then came up and drew a walk which brought another run and then Dom Smith followed with a RBI single. The lineup didn't do much all game and left 17 runners on base and were 3-15 with runners in scoring position. They showed a good eye against Cardinals pitchers and drew 11 walks. RHP Taijuan Walker started out strong in the bottom of the first inning striking out the side on 17 pitches. Walker gave up an unearned run in the bottom of the second after he gave up a single to 3B Nolan Arenado and then Villar made a throwing error. Walker gave up a sacrifice fly to CF Harrison Bader, but then settled in a groove after that. He retired 12 hitters in a row after the fifth with six strikeouts on 67 pitches. Walker stayed in the game after a 16-minute rain delay after the top of the sixth inning ended and didn't show any rust and continued his dominant outing. He had 1-2-3 innings in the bottom of the sixth and and seventh innings to retire the last 18 hitters he faced. Walker was his command all afternoon with his blazing fastball at 95 mph, and sharp change-up, slider and curevball. He had pinpoint command location. His final line was 7 innings, one hit, one run (one earned), no walks and eight strikeouts. He picked up his second win and lowered his ERA to 2.38. RHP Trevor May followed a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth inning with a dominating 1-2-3 inning which included two strikeouts. RHP Edwin Diaz came on in the bottom of the ninth and gave up back-to-back singles, but retired 1B Paul Goldschmidt on a fly-out and 3B Nolan Arenado on a ground-out to end the game and picked up his fourth save. The Mets next game is tomorrow night back at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 7:10 p.m.