Mets Lose to Cardinals 4-1 due to offense struggling once again

Mets RHP Marcus Stroman (Credits to Jeff Robinson AP photo) The New York Mets lost to the St. Louis Cardinals this afternoon in St Louis in the first game of their doubleheader and dropped their record to 11-13. RHP Marcus Stroman gave up a solo homer to 1B Paul Goldschmidtt in the bottom of the first inning, but recovered to throw a scoreless bottom of the second inning. Stroman had two quick outs in the bottom of the third, but gave up three straight singles to RF Dylan Carlson, Goldschmidtt and 3B Nolan Arenado to bring in anothe run. Stroman had a scorless bottom of the fourth inning and got two quick outs in the bottom of the fifth but was let down by his defense after SS Franciso Lindor made a throwing error on a rountine grounder by Arenado and then SS Paul DeJong followed with a two-run homer. Stroman was taken out after the inning. His final line was 5 innings, 7 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. RHP Jacob Barnes followed with a scoreless bottom of the sixth inning. The offense did little all game outside of the top of the fourth inning when they loaded the bases after a controversial ruling by the umpires after they ruled an interperter going to the mound to talk to the Cardinals did not count as a mound visit when it should have been. Catcher James McCann grounded to Arenado at third base who dropped the ball but stepped on third base for the force out and a run crossed home. 2B Jonathan Villar and CF Albert Almora Jr followed with strikeouts to end the threat. They had two hits all game and it was the seventh time in the last 16 games they have scored two runs or less. The Mets have another game tonight at the Cardinals 1/2 hour after the first game.