Cardinals 5, Mets 4: New York's Homers Not Enough To Beat St. Louis In Series Finale

The New York Mets were defeated by the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-4, on Monday at Citi Field. The loss prevented a sweep by the Mets in the series but they still won it three games to one.

Allen Craig's two-run home run in the eighth inning off Mets reliever Jon Rauch (3-5) snapped a 3-3 tie and provided St. Louis with its winning margin.

The Mets got one run back in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-4. Jason Thole singled, moved to third when Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubled and scored on Andres Torres' sacrifice fly to right. That, however, concluded the scoring.

Mets starter Dillon Gee went seven innings and gave up three runs (two earned). He also struck out eight batters while walking just two. Rauch got the loss due to Craig's eighth-inning homer. He lasted just two-thirds of an inning, giving up two earned runs and striking out one batter. Marc Rzepczynski (1-3) got the win after replacing Kyle Lohse in the seventh inning. Lohse allowed only earned one run in six innings and had three strikeouts. Jason Motte got his ninth save, getting the final four outs for the Cardinals. He allowed no hits over the final 1 1/3 innings and struck out one batter.

The Mets next series begins June 5 against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.

For more on the Mets, please be sure to check out our blog Amazin' Avenue and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

Mets (31-23) Vs. Cardinals (27-27) Preview: Game Time, TV Schedule, Probable Pitchers

The New York Mets will go for the four game sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field on Monday afternoon.

So far, the Mets have put on a clinic in this series including of course, Johan Santana's no-hitter. New York has only yielded one run in the first three contests against the defending world champs.

Dillon Gee will be charged with keeping that level up when he takes the mound. Gee has been inconsistent this season but finding a way to get the job done more often than not. As it stands, he's 4-3 with a bloated ERA of 4.69.

Gee did pitch very well in his last outing, going 6 2/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and only allowing two runs in a no-decision.

Kyle Lohse will oppose Gee for the redbirds, looking to snap his team's five game losing streak.

Lohse has been excellent this campaign to the tune of a 5-1 record with a 3.36 ERA. However he was touched up by the Atlanta Braves the last time he saw action, giving up five runs in as many innings.

One thing that could slow the Mets down is the weather, with rain looming in the forecast all day.

TV: SNY

Time: 1:10 p.m. ET

For more on the Mets, please be sure to check out our blog Amazin' Avenue and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

Mets 6, Cardinals 1: New York Beats St. Louis For Third Straight Time

Jon Neise (4-2) pitched six shutout innings as the New York Mets defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-1, Sunday. The Mets have now defeated St. Louis in three straight games, allowing only one run in the process. New York goes for the sweep Monday (1:10 p.m. ET) with Dillon Gee on the mound for the Mets and Kyle Lohse for the Cardinals.

The six shutout innings by Neise and one scoreless inning by reliever Bobby Parnell ran New York’s scoreless innings streak against St. Louis to 25 innings. Johan Santana no-hit St. Louis on Friday and R.A. Dickey pitched a shutout on Saturday. The Cardinals finally scored a run in the eighth inning against Elvin Ramirez.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis had three hits, including a home run, and three RBI for the Mets on Sunday. Andres Torres had three hits, including a two-run triple for the New York, which has won seven of its last nine games.

Jake Westbrook (4-5) took the loss for St. Louis. He pitched five innings and surrendered five earned runs on nine hits.

The Mets are now 31-23, in a virtual tie with the Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins for first place in the National League East.

Mike Baxter Injury Update: Mets Send Outfielder To 15-Day DL, Call Up 2B Josh Satin

The New York Mets announced on Sunday that outfielder Mike Baxter has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a displaced right collarbone and fractured rib cage cartilage.

Baxter was injured during the Mets' first-ever no-hitter on Friday. Baxter crashed into the outfield wall while making a catch, injuring his left shoulder in the seventh inning. Baxter hit .323 and appeared in 40 games for New York this season.

After sending Baxter to the disabled list, the Mets called up second baseman Josh Satin. Satin has five hits, two RBI, one walk and 11 strikeouts in 25 career MLB at-bats. Satin has been playing for Triple-A Buffalo this season and has hit .274 with three homers, 15 RBI, 23 walks and 52 strikeouts for the Bisons in 2012.

For more on the Mets, please be sure to check out our blog Amazin' Avenue. For news and notes around Major League baseball check out Baseball Nation.

Mets (30-23) Vs. Cardinals (27-26) Preview: Game Time, TV Schedule, Probable Pitchers

Things just seem to be going perfect for the New York Mets lately. Not only did the Mets snap a 50-year no-hitter curse but on Sunday at 8:05 p.m. ET on ESPN, New York (30-23) is on the brink of taking a 3-0 lead in the four-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field.

To do so, the Mets will need a strong effort from rookie pitcher Jon Niese (3-2), who struggled in his last outing Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies going just five innings after allowing four runs on two hits and five walks.

Meanwhile, Westbrook has been struggling as well, as he's allowed 19 runs in his last 20 innings.

For more on the Mets, please be sure to check out our blog Amazin' Avenue. For news and notes around Major League baseball check out Baseball Nation.

Mets Vs. Cardinals: R.A. Dickey Throws Shutout, Mets Win 5-0

It wasn't quite the performance of Johan Santana, who threw the first no-hitter in the history of the New York Mets on Friday night, but Saturday afternoon's starter, R.A. Dickey, pitched quite the gem, himself.

Dicky, who has been surprisingly great in 2012, threw his first complete game shutout of the season. He went nine innings, 100 pitches, allowed seven hits, no walks, and fanned nine St. Louis Cardinals. The performance drops Dickey's ERA to 2.69 on the season and he's now 8-1 in decisions.

The Mets were able to tag the Cardinals pitching staff for five runs (four earned). David Wright hit a solo shot in the eighth inning, to provide extra insurance for Dickey. It was his sixth homer of the season.

For more on the Mets, please be sure to check out our blog Amazin' Avenue. For news and notes around Major League baseball check out Baseball Nation.

Ramon Ramirez Injured During Mets No-Hitter Celebration

[UPDATE: Joel Sherman later corrected himself. It was RAMON Ramirez who was injured, not Elvin as originaly reported.]

The recently-called-up Elvin Ramirez injured his hamstring during the New York Mets' no-hitter celebration on Friday night, according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman. He will likely be placed on the disabled list.

Hard to believe dept: I heard Elvin Ramirez,called up yest by #Mets, hurt hamstring diving into Johan no-no pile, likely DL bound. #unreal.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) June 2, 2012

The 24-year-old Ramirez has been in the Mets system since 2007, but he's been opening some eyes in 2012. He pitched 13 innings in double A this season, with an ERA of 1.38 and 16 strikeouts before, being promoted to Triple A, where he continued his stellar pitching – in 14.2 innings, he struck out 19 batters, walked only one, and did not allow an earned run.

Stick with this storystream for more on Johan Santana's no hitter and Mets vs. Cardinals updates. Amazin' Avenue is your home for New York Mets news and analysis.

Mets Vs. Cardinals, Game 2: R.A. Dickey Takes Mound As New York Mets Attempt To Follow Johan Santana No-Hitter

How does an MLB team follow one of the greatest nights in franchise history?

The New York Mets will find out Saturday when they host the St. Louis Cardinals one day after Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in club history.

R.A. Dickey (7-1, 3.06 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets during the second leg of their four-game set, and he'll have a tough act to follow.

Santana struck out eight, including David Freese for the game's final out, for the first no-hitter ever by a Mets pitcher.

Dickey has allowed just one run over his last two starts, striking out 21 over that span. Prior to recording double-digit strikeouts in each of his last two outings, the knuckle-baller had managed the feat just once in 114 prior starts.

Lance Lynn (8-1, 2.54 ERA) will get the start for the Cardinals as they look to snap a three-game losing skid.

For more on the Mets, please be sure to check out our blog Amazin' Avenue. For news and notes around Major League baseball check out Baseball Nation.

Johan Santana No-HItter: This Doesn't Seem Real

Leave it to the guy who missed the entire 2011 season and has a surgically-repaired shoulder to put the New York Mets in the history books for something good -- their first no-hitter in franchise history.

It seems like a dream. Eight-thousand-twenty games. Over 50 years of existence. A myriad of wonderful pitchers. And, finally, one feat has been crossed off. Now, the San Diego Padres are the lone team remaining who hasn't had a pitcher toss a no-no.

What makes this all the more unbelievable to me is that I've been alive for about half of the franchise's life -- this will be my 24th year -- and the Mets have been the joke of the league. They've never gotten respect, especially with the New York Yankees in town. I've been able to enjoy three playoff seasons. Luckily, I've only been alive -- witnessing it is probably a bit much - for one no-hitter against: Darryl Kile in 1993. The Amazin's, as a whole, have tossed 18 one-hit games during my lifetime. But only six of them have occurred with one pitcher giving up a hit in the sixth inning or later.

The funny thing is, Santana was far from "perfect" with his stuff in reaching this milestone. He did fan eight, but he also had five walks. Threw first-pitch strikes to 18 of 32 batters. Tossed 134 pitches altogether. And when he was "mowing" down the St. Louis Cardinals hitters, I couldn't help but continue my night, with the Mets game on in the background. Why should I divert my full attention to a game that will ultimately end up breaking my heart? So many games and seasons had before. Disappointment is something all Mets fans have gotten accustomed to.

Like all no-hitters/perfect games, there are the pivotal plays that keep the hope alive. Two of those come to mind in this 8-0 win: Carlos Beltran's drive down the third-base line that was erroneously called foul in the sixth inning and Mike Baxter's seventh-inning running grab to rob Yadier Molina.

Before this season began, it was a relevant question to ask whether Santana would even be able to pitch at all this year. With a 2.38 ERA and 1.03 WHIP and a strikeout per inning, Santana has proven he's still one of the top pitchers in baseball. Now, he's also enshrined in the baseball record books as a member of the New York Mets. It couldn't have happened to a better guy. Staff ace. Leader. Warrior. Now a record-setter in his 273rd start.

Pinch, me, please: there's actually something to celebrate about the boys from Queens.

via assets.sbnation.com

Mets Vs. Cardinals: Reactions To Johan Santana's No-Hitter

Johan Santana has thrown the first no-hitter in New York Mets history, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night, 8-0. Naturally this has inspired a great deal of discussion across the Internet. Enjoy a sample of some of the reactions below, and check back with SB Nation New York for more coverage.

Metsblog has plenty of praise for Santana:

Santana is a true baseball warrior, and I am so very happy he has completed his journey back from such uncertainty, beaten all of the odds and the naysayers, and has put his stamp on baseball history. There is nobody more deserving of this honor – even if Carlos Beltran‘s ground ball was really fair…

Dan Perry at CBS Sports' Eye On Baseball follows up on that thought with video of the call in the sixth inning.

Via the Mets twitter account comes this picture of the board at Citi Field as well as this one of a heavily iced Santana's post game press conference.

SB Nation's Mets Blog Amazin' Avenue points out the lasting implications of Santana's accomplishment:

Never again will Mets fans hear the exact number of games played in franchise history without a no-hitter.

The New York Times has the story as the lead at nytimes.com, but their caption is rubbing some Mets fans the wrong way:

On the night Carlos Beltran returned to New York, the evening belonged to Johan Santana and the type of history the Mets failed to write with Beltran on the team.

After more than 8000 games before the team's first no-hitter, there's likely to be lots of discussion around Johan Santana and the New York Mets. Stick with this Storystream for all the coverage, updates and more.

As always, Amazin' Avenue is your source for quality New York Mets analysis and insight.

Mets 8, Cardinals 0: Johan Santana Throws First No Hitter In Mets History

Johan Santana pitched the first no-hitter in New York Mets history Friday night, as the Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-0. Santana threw 134 pitches, struck out eight and walked five in his historic outing.

Santana, who missed all of the 2011 season due to shoulder surgery, had not thrown so many pitches in more than two years. With the score 8-0, however, Mets manager Terry Collins left him in for a chance at history. The Mets played 8,019 games before their first no hitter, though 35 one-hitters over the years came close. The ninth inning saw Santana put down Matt Holliday on a line drive straight to Andres Torres, the recently activated Allen Craig on a fly ball to left, and David Freese on a strikeout in six pitches.

Mike Baxter made a terrific catch in the seventh inning to preserve Santana's no-hit bid, but appeared to hurt his arm running into the wall. Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Lucas Duda led things on the offensive side of the ball, with Nieuwenhuis going 2-3 with a walk and Duda picking up four RBI.

Stick with this storystream for more on Johan Santana's no hitter and Mets vs. Cardinals updates. Amazin' Avenue is your home for New York Mets news and analysis.

Mets Vs. Cardinals, Game 1: Johan Santana Takes Mound As Mets Kick Off Off Four-Game Series

Johan Santana, who threw his first shutout since undergoing 2010 shoulder surgery in his last start, looks to get the New York Mets off to a fast start in their four-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Chris Schwinden Placed On Waivers By New York Mets, According To Report

Chris Schwinden was placed on waivers by the New York Mets on Thursday, according to an ESPN New York report.

The 25-year-old has been largely unsuccessful in three appearances with the Mets this season, including two starts. He couldn't last past the fourth inning in either of his starts en route to amassing an 0-1 record with a 12.46 ERA in 8 2/3 innings this season.

Schwinden being placed on waivers opens up a 40-man roster spot for right-handed reliever Elvin Ramirez, a 24-year-old who is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and one save spanning 11 appearances in Triple-A Buffalo.

The Mets still need to make another roster maneuver to clear the way for catcher Josh Thole's return from the disabled list. According to ESPN New York, Mike Nickeas is in the most danger.

For more on the Mets, please be sure to check out our blog Amazin' Avenue. For news and notes around Major League baseball check out Baseball Nation.