CINCINNATI (AP) — Scott Schebler’s three-run homer in the ninth inning rallied the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

Brandon Moss and Tommy Pham hit solo homers in the eighth for a 5-4 lead, but the Cardinals couldn’t hold on.

Seung Hwan Oh (2-2) escaped a bases-loaded threat in the eighth, but gave up a pair of singles to start the ninth. Schebler connected for his second homer of the season and first game-ending shot.

Jumbo Diaz (1-1) fanned Oh with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth to keep it 5-4.

The second-place Cardinals are hoping to make a run in the NL Central now that their lineup is closer to full strength. Moss and Jhonny Peralta returned from injuries on Tuesday, and the Cardinals expect to get leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter back later in the week.

Moss and Peralta had doubles that accounted for a run in the sixth. Moss tied it with a leadoff homer against Blake Wood in the eighth, part of his three-hit game. Pham followed with his first career pinch-hit homer, the fourth by St. Louis.

Adam Wainwright and Jedd Gyorko also had solo shots for St. Louis.

Cincinnati played its first game without right fielder Jay Bruce. Bruce and Adam Duvall were tied for the team lead with 25 homers when the right fielder was dealt to the Mets on Monday. Duvall moved from left field to Bruce’s old spot and hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Kevin Siegrist for a 4-3 lead.

Cincinnati’s Joey Votto had an RBI double among his four hits and extended his hitting streak to a career-best 16 games. Yadier Molina doubled and extended his hitting streak to 16 games as well, the longest by a Cardinal since David Freese hit in 20 in a row in 2013.

Wainwright hit his second homer of the season off Dan Straily, but couldn’t beat the Reds. Wainwright went 3-0 with a 1.77 ERA in July, but lasted only five innings on Tuesday. He’s only 8-10 career against the Reds in 21 starts.

UNHAPPY VOTTO

Votto wasn’t happy with a fan in a Reds jersey who reached for a foul ball in the seventh, preventing him from making the play. Votto glared and tugged on the Reds’ logo on the fan’s jersey before heading back to his position. He later signed a baseball for the fan and stopped to pose for photos with him.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Even as they get some stalwarts back, the Cardinals lost another. SS Aledmys Diaz went on the 15-day disabled list with a broken right thumb, hit by a pitch on Sunday.

Reds: SS Zack Cozart was a late scratch from the starting lineup with a bruised right ring finger, injured by a ground ball during batting/infield practice. Ivan De Jesus Jr. started in his place. … RH Caleb Cotham had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee on Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RH Michael Wacha (6-7) has won his last four decisions covering seven starts. He’s 3-1 in six career starts at Great American Ball Park.

Reds: LH Cody Reed (0-5) gave up six runs in five innings of a 9-7 loss in San Francisco on Tuesday. He’s never faced the Cardinals.

— Associated Press —

MIAMI (AP) — Derek Dietrich won the game and lost his shirt.

The pinch-hitter’s game-ending RBI triple with two out in the ninth inning helped the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 Sunday for split of their four-game series.

The Marlins’ celebration began as Dietrich rounded third. Teammates doused him with water and then tore off his jersey.

“I can’t say I haven’t walked around with my shirt off before,” Dietrich said. “It was a little uncomfortable, but it was a fun moment.”

And what shape is the shirt in?

“It’s gone,” he said. “It’s probably in half.”

The score was tied with two out in the ninth when Adeiny Hechavarria — who had made a costly throwing error earlier — singled off Matt Bowman (1-3). Dietrich then hit a drive into the left-field gap, and center fielder Tommy Pham’s try at a sliding backhanded catch failed, allowing Hechavarria to score without a play.

Pham said he got his glove on the ball but didn’t go after it full bore because left fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker was also in pursuit.

“I couldn’t dive, because if I’d have dove, I’d have dove right into him,” Pham said. “So I had to slide. It should have been caught by one of the two of us.”

Hazelbaker agreed.

“That ball has got to be caught,” he said.

The teams finished their season series with Miami leading St. Louis by one game in the NL wild-card race.

Andrew Cashner allowed one earned run in six innings in his Marlins debut. Cashner, the centerpiece of a seven-player trade Friday with San Diego, walked none and allowed four hits, including a homer by Greg Garcia.

Cardinals shortstop Aledmys Diaz left the game in the first inning with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch. Diaz, who is hitting .312 with 14 homers, is to undergo further examinations Monday.

Carlos Martinez hit Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton in the bottom of the first. There were no subsequent incidents, but Cashner took a postgame jab at the Cardinals.

“I kind of thought they hit (Giancarlo) on purpose,” Cashner said. “That’s kind of the Cardinal way.”

Cashner, who has a history of similar episodes with the Cardinals, noted he hit Diaz with an 0-2 pitch.

“It’s never a spot where I want to hit a guy,” he said.

Cashner was in line for the victory until the Cardinals made it 4-all with two runs in the eighth off Fernando Rodney, and the tying run scored on an ugly throwing error by shortstop Hechavarria.

“That was one that we fought hard to get back into,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “It was a shame to let it go.”

Miami bounced back thanks to Dietrich, who said his walk-off hit was the first of his career. He stepped to the plate in a 4-for-50 slump while adjusting to a part-time role with the return Thursday of second baseman Dee Gordon from an 80-game suspension.

Dietrich said he has no complaints about the demotion.

“Nothing changes for me,” he said. “I’m always ready and I’m expecting to help every day.”

SUZUKI UPDATE

Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki popped out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and remained at 2,998 career hits. Suzuki went 2 for 17 on the Marlins’ homestand while starting just twice.

“He’s swinging at some balls out of the strike zone, which is a little bit not like him,” manager Don Mattingly said. Mattingly declined to say whether Suzuki will start Monday at Wrigley Field.

GROOMING

Cashner said he was excited to join a contending team, and willingly shaved his long beard to adhere to the Marlins’ policy of no facial hair.

Removing the beard wasn’t easy, though.

“It took a while,” Cashner said with a laugh. “It was not fun. It started bleeding a little bit. It has been a while since my face has seen the sun. But they told me that was the rule. I’m fine with that. I’m all on board.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 3B Jhonny Peralta (thumb) began a rehab assignment Sunday at Single-A Palm Beach, and IF Matt Carpenter (oblique) began a rehab assignment at Double-A Springfield.

Marlins: RHP Colin Rea, acquired with Cashner in the trade, will undergo an MRI Monday on his sprained elbow Monday to determine the extent of the injury. He lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his Marlins debut Saturday and was placed on the disabled list.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.16) is scheduled to start Tuesday at Cincinnati against Dan Straily (6-6, 3.84). Wainwright is 8-10 with a 4.44 ERA in 25 games against the Reds.

Marlins: LHP Adam Conley (7-5, 3.38) is scheduled to start Monday at the Cubs against RHP Kyle Hendricks (9-7, 2.39).

— Associated Press —

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins’ big win might have come with a price.

Newly acquired Colin Rea left early with an elbow injury in his Miami debut in the Marlins’ 11-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night.

“We obviously needed the win, but it’s not at that cost,” Marlins reliever David Phelps said. “Hopefully, it’s nothing, but you never like to see a starter come out of the game when you’re strapped for starters to begin with.”

Rea, acquired in a trade with San Diego, pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four.

“I kind of felt something in my elbow and it gradually got worse throughout the game,” Rea said. “I don’t know if I could have thrown another pitch, but we’ll see. We don’t know anything yet.”

Rea initially felt a pain in his arm during warm-ups before the game, but tried to pitch through it.

“This definitely isn’t at a good time getting to a new team and you kind of feel like you let your teammates down a little bit,” Rea said. “It’s tough, but I guess it’s just part of it.”

Phelps (5-5) relieved Rea and threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out four, to earn the victory.

“I knew what kind of shape we were in the bullpen and I didn’t want to have guys throw that didn’t need to throw so I was going to try to eat up as much as I could,” Phelps said.

Christian Yelich and Jeff Mathis each had three hits and drove in two runs to help lead the Marlins’ offensive attack.

Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run home run and Martin Prado had a two-run double for the Marlins. They drew even with the Cardinals at 56-48 for the second NL wild-card spot.

“`O’ puts us up by four early and then we were able to add on, which is nice because they have a dangerous club that can put some runs on the board quick,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “We’ve seen that over the last couple of days.”

Miami outfielder Ichiro Suzuki remained at 2,998 hits, going 0 for 2 after entering as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning. He’s 2 for 16 on the homestand that concludes Sunday.

Mattingly was not sure if Suzuki would be in the starting lineup on Sunday or if he would go with his regular starting outfield.

“I haven’t put a lineup out and haven’t really thought it too much, but our (regular) guys are swinging the bat good,” Mattingly said.

Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a double in the fourth inning. Molina is hitting .385 (20 for 52) with two home runs and four RBI during the span.

St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia (7-8) also only lasted 3 1/3 innings in his first career start on only three days rest. He allowed six runs and seven hits.

“I really didn’t spend time thinking about (the short rest),” Garcia said. “No excuse. I didn’t execute pitches the way I wanted to. I made mistakes in the middle of the plate against a really good lineup and paid the consequences.”

The Marlins scored four runs in the first, sparked by Ozuna’s two-run homer — his 19th.

“We’re down four runs in the first,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “I don’t think overall ugliness is the proper description.

Miami also plated four in the fourth keyed by a two-run double by Prado to push its lead to 8-0. Prado is hitting .472 (17 for 36) with two home runs and 11 RBI in his last 10 games.

Florida added three runs in the sixth.

“It didn’t go the way we wanted from the beginning and then it was just a matter of trying to survive,” Matheny said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 3B Jhonny Peralta (thumb) took batting practice with hopes of being reinstated from the disabled list on Tuesday when the Cardinals begin a series at Cincinnati. … IF Matt Carpenter (oblique) and 1B Brandon Moss (ankle) are also close to returning to a crowded infield. “We’ll figure out how it all comes together and how we plug them in when we get there,” Matheny said.

Marlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (sprained elbow) is in the process of returning, but will not make the road trip when the team heads out Aug. 1-7. “Chen is starting the process-not throwing, but with strengthening exercises,” Mattingly said. “He seems to be OK.” … RHP Tom Koehler dealt with a minor pectoral injury in his last start and was moved from his scheduled start on Sunday to Wednesday in Chicago to make way for Andrew Cashner and give him more rest. “He’s fine,” Mattingly said.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (10-6, 2.87 ERA) will start Sunday’s series finale against the Marlins. Martinez has only allowed three extra-base hits to right-handed batters this season.

Marlins: RHP Andrew Cashner (4-7, 4.76) will make his Marlins debut after being acquired in a trade with San Diego on Friday. Cashner is 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 23 strikeouts to just three walks over his last three starts.

— Associated Press —

MIAMI (AP) — When Tommy Pham was hit by a pitch in the left hand in his first at-bat, it did not look like he would be able to stay in the game.

Not only did Pham finish, but he had an RBI single and a two-run homer to help lead the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins 11-6 on Friday night.

“It didn’t affect him hitting the ball to dead center in the biggest park in the country,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “That was a pretty nice sign that things should be OK, but we’ll wait to see what the medical team says.”

The pain got to be too much in Pham’s final at-bat as he struck out looking, unable to swing the bat.

“I have anti-inflammatory pills that help you get through the game, but it was sore,” Pham said. “That last swing I took my hand went numb and I couldn’t swing.”

“I literally just took the pitch strike three down the middle because I couldn’t feel my hand,” he said.

Pham said his hand is not broken and expects to be ready for Saturday’s game.

“It’s not broken, so you have to come here ready,” Pham said.

Pham was one of a number of contributors for the Cardinals. Kolten Wong had three hits and drove in two runs and Jeremy Hazelbaker hit a two-run homer.

The Cardinals have won four of five and lead the Marlins by one game in the NL wild-card standings.

Miami outfielder Ichiro Suzuki went 0 for 4 to remain at 2,998 career hits.

Martin Prado homered and drove in three runs, and Marcell Ozuna also homered for the Marlins.

Mike Leake (8-8) won despite giving up six runs and seven hits in five innings.

Jose Urena (1-3) allowed eight runs in 4 1/3 innings in what is expected to be his final start in the Marlins’ rotation after Miami acquired starters Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea from San Diego earlier in the day.

Hazelbaker homered off Urena in the second. It was their first encounter since the two were involved in a bench-clearing brawl in a minor league game on June 27.

“That’s the thing about baseball and you usually have a chance to get back at somebody that you have a history with,” Hazelbaker said. “It was a satisfying time and I’m glad that it happened,”

In that minor league game, Urena’s pitch went sailing near Hazelbaker’s head, prompting the two to square off and punches were thrown.

“That history, you don’t forget about that stuff,” Matheny said. “That means something to guys when they get the opportunity to compete.”

St. Louis scored three in the second and six more in the fifth for a 9-1 lead, Prado’s three-run homer highlighted a five-run rally by the Marlins in the bottom of the fifth.

“For a moment after I hit it, you felt the energy in the stadium,” Prado said. “The people got into the game.”

“I know we got a tough loss today, but we’re showing signs that we are going out for 27 outs, no matter what. We’ve lost a couple of important games for us but there’s nothing we can do about it now,” he said.

Pham’s two-run homer extended the Cardinals’ lead to 11-6.

“You can’t say it’s a back-breaker because anything is possible. But when you give it right back, it’s tough on your club,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.

Suzuki threw out Wong at home in the fourth inning after making a running catch near the left-field line and throwing a 240-foot strike at the plate for the double play.

“We all know Ichiro is definitely someone who can hit, but you know he has a pretty good arm, too, and I knew it was going to be tough,” Wong said.

PRADO’S GROOVE

Prado went 2 for 4 and is hitting .485 (16 for 33) with two home runs and nine RBI over his last nine games to raise his average to .327.

“Martin has been locked in all year but now all of a sudden, he’s kind of showing some power,” Mattingly said. “It kind of changes his dimension.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: 1B Justin Bour (right ankle) was scheduled to begin a rehab stint with Triple-A New Orleans with hopes of joining the big league club on Monday in Chicago in a series against the Cubs.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Jaime Garcia (7-7, 3.97) will take the mound Saturday. He is coming off two back-to-back productive starts, allowing three earned runs over 10 2/3 innings.

Marlins: RHP Colin Rea (5-5, 4.98) will make his Miami debut on Saturday. Rea is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals.

— Associated Press —

MIAMI (AP) — The first time Jose Fernandez faced Aledmys Diaz on Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals’ slugger fouled the first pitch off with a mighty swing.

“I told him, `Really? You’re going to swing first pitch like that?” Fernandez said. “That swing had a lot of bad intentions.”

It was a sign of things to come. Diaz homered, doubled and drove in three runs in the first-ever meeting between the two childhood pals from Cuba, helping the Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins 5-4.

Fernandez fell behind 5-0, departed after five innings and dropped to 26-2 at Marlins Park.

“I made some mistakes and they took advantage. That’s on me,” he said. ” Every time you get four runs and have your ace on the mound, you should expect to win.”

Miami’s Dee Gordon, the 2015 NL batting and stolen bases champion, returned from an 80-game suspension for failing a drug test and went 0 for 4. Ichiro Suzuki doubled as a pinch hitter in the seventh for Miami and needs two hits for 3,000.

Michael Wacha (6-7) allowed three runs in six innings, and three relievers completed an eight-hitter. Seung Hwan Oh pitched around a one-out single in the ninth for his seventh save.

Diaz and Matt Holliday homered in the third inning against Fernandez (12-5), who had never previously given up more than one homer in a home game.

“That was a lot of fun to compete against my buddy,” Diaz said. “I just tried to be aggressive with him, he’s such a great pitcher.”

Fernandez’s only other loss at Marlins Park came on opening day this year against Detroit.

Diaz and Fernandez were neighbors growing up in Santa Clara, Cuba, and the Cardinals enjoyed their reunion. Fernandez walked Jeremy Hazelbaker to start the third inning, and Diaz followed with his 14th homer.

“This guy wants to hit it 10,000 feet,” Fernandez said. “He’s helping his team win. You can’t get mad about that.”

Two batters later, Holliday hit his 18th homer just inside the right-field foul pole, prompting a rueful grin from Fernandez. The outing was his shortest since May 4.

The Cardinals homered in 17 consecutive games before being blanked in that department Wednesday.

Hazelbaker tripled and Diaz drove in a run with a double, his 25th, in the Cardinals’ two-run fifth.

UNDER SIEGE

Marcell Ozell hit comebackers off Wacha (right foot) and Oh (left buttocks). Both stayed in the game. It’s the third game in a row Wacha has been hit on the right foot.

“It’s got a bull’s-eye on it,” Wacha said.

BALK REVERSAL

The umpires said they erroneously reversed a balk call, taking a Cardinals run off the board in the second inning.

With runners at second and third and two out, Fernandez was about to intentionally walk No. 8 hitter Kolten Wong when third base umpire D.J. Reyburn called a balk. Fernandez protested, and after the four umpires conferred, they reversed the call and decided there was no balk.

Wacha struck out to end the inning and keep the game scoreless. After the game, crew chief John Hirshbeck reviewed video and decided Reyburn’s balk call had been correct.

“D.J. called it from third, and I thought I saw (Fernandez) step off with his right foot,” Hirshbeck said. “I overruled D.J. with what I thought I saw. He was right, I was wrong.”

SUZUKI UPDATE

Suzuki received a standing ovation when he pinch-hit, and he responded with his 350th career double, raising his season average to .335. He has started only one of seven games on the homestand.

“I don’t think he’s searching to make this about him,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “I think he’s comfortable with the way we’re playing it.”

CARDINALS ROTATION

Cardinals LHP Jaime Garcia will start Saturday on four days’ rest, manager Mike Matheny said. Garcia threw 77 pitches Tuesday, when he gave up two earned runs in five innings and lost to the Mets.

TRAINER’S ROOM

RHP Lance Lynn, who underwent Tommy John surgery in November, threw to hitters again Thursday, and the Cardinals haven’t ruled out his return this season.

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Mike Leake (7-8, 4.24), who is scheduled to start Friday, is 3-0 with an 0.44 ERA in three starts at Marlins Park. RHP Jose Urena (1-2, 5.34) will start for Miami.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Just shy of a year. That’s how long Jeurys Familia’s saves streak lasted — until Yadier Molina ended it with one perfectly timed swing.

Molina and pinch hitter Kolten Wong each stroked an RBI double in the ninth inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals snapped Familia’s string of 52 straight saves in rallying to beat the New York Mets 5-4 on Wednesday night.

“A huge boost,” Wong said. “We needed this.”

Yoenis Cespedes hit a go-ahead homer off Adam Wainwright to cap a three-run comeback in the seventh that gave the Mets a 4-3 lead. But then Familia, who hadn’t blown a regular-season save opportunity since July 30, 2015, finally faltered.

Jedd Gyorko drew a four-pitch walk with one out in the ninth and was replaced by pinch runner Randal Grichuk. Molina hit the next pitch to deep center field, and Grichuk scored standing up to tie it.

Molina was thrown out at third by Familia (2-2) on pinch hitter Jeremy Hazelbaker’s comebacker. But Hazelbaker stole second, then he scored when Wong lined a double just inside the left-field line.

“That was probably one of the top, top things I’ve experienced in a while,” said Wong, who lost his everyday job at second base this season and got demoted to the minors last month. “To see some kind of light at the end of the tunnel was definitely something I needed and something that I’ve been wanting for a long, long time.”

Familia’s franchise-record saves streak was the third longest in major league history, behind Tom Gordon (54) and Eric Gagne (84).

“They made good contact on my sinker, and I walked a guy and Molina came and jumped on the first pitch, and that’s it,” said Familia, who was charged with three blown saves in last year’s World Series loss to the Kansas City Royals.

Jonathan Broxton (3-2) tossed a scoreless eighth for the Cardinals, and Seung Hwan Oh got three quick outs for his sixth save.

Including a split of Tuesday’s doubleheader, St. Louis took two of three from the Mets in a matchup of National League wild-card contenders.

Logan Verrett pitched seven efficient innings, and slumping Neil Walker went 3-for-3 with a base on balls for the third-place Mets, who dropped 5½ games behind the NL East-leading Washington Nationals.

“This is a really tough one to take,” said Mets manager Terry Collins.

Matt Holliday hit a two-run double off Verrett with two outs in the third, and Matt Adams followed with an RBI double that made it 3-1.

Wainwright, who entered 3-0 in July with a major league-low 0.93 ERA, nursed that lead until the seventh after repeatedly pitching out of trouble. He nearly did so again after striking out Curtis Granderson and Asdrubal Cabrera with runners at the corners.

But then Travis d’Arnaud scored on a wild pitch, and Cespedes, who fouled off three full-count offerings, socked a two-run home run off the facing of the second deck in left center.

The homer came on the 117th and final pitch from the 34-year-old Wainwright, who had not allowed a home run in just more than 66 innings, since Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman connected on May 28. That was the longest such streak in the majors this season.

“It was almost heartbreaking. For a moment, it was. I was at my lowest of lows this season,” Wainwright said. “It was almost really bad, but the team saved me tonight.”

COMING ATTRACTION?

Because of Tuesday’s doubleheader, St. Louis needs a fill-in starter on Saturday night in Miami. But Cardinals manager Mike Matheny would not say whether the team was leaning toward promoting RHP Alex Reyes to make his major league debut. The 21-year-old Reyes, one of baseball’s premier prospects, was removed from his Triple-A outing after three innings on Tuesday — perhaps to keep him available for Saturday. Left-handed reliever Tyler Lyons, who made 20 major league starts from 2013-15, also could be a candidate. “We’re not ruling out anything at this point,” Matheny said.

POWER OUTAGE

Cardinals hitters were kept in the ballpark after the club homered in 17 consecutive games — its longest streak since a team-record run of 19 in 2006.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 1B-OF Brandon Moss (sprained left ankle) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday at Double-A Springfield, with All-Star INF Matt Carpenter (strained right oblique) not far behind. But neither has a defined timetable to return, Matheny said.

Mets: 3B Jose Reyes received an injection and treatment for the rib cage strain on his left side. He is likely to be sidelined until at least Friday, Collins said, and Wilmer Flores will continue to fill in.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (5-7, 4.37 ERA) starts Thursday night in Miami against RHP Jose Fernandez (12-4, 2.54), who is 26-1 with a 1.47 ERA at Marlins Park.

Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (6-5, 2.73 ERA) looks to rebound from his worst start of the season on Thursday afternoon against Colorado Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (3-3, 3.56) in the opener of a four-game series.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Bartolo Colon pitched three-hit ball for seven sharp innings and the New York Mets overcame another home run by Jedd Gyorko to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Tuesday night for a doubleheader split.

Gyorko homered in both ends and has connected seven times in nine games. His two-run shot helped St. Louis win the opener 3-2.

Colon (9-5) struck out eight and walked none. After Gyorko homered in the second and Alberto Rosario doubled in the third, Colon set down 14 of his final 15 batters.

Addison Reed worked the eighth and Jeurys Familia closed for his 36th save this year and 52nd in a row during the regular season.

Asdrubal Cabrera ended his 0-for-32 rut with runners in scoring position with an RBI double and added a sacrifice fly off Jaime Garcia (7-7). Wilmer Flores doubled and singled twice, and manager Terry Collins helped, too, winning his third replay challenge of the day.

The Mets have alternated wins and losses for the last 12 games. They returned to Citi Field for the first time since the All-Star break, facing their fellow NL wild-card contenders.

A rainout Monday forced the first doubleheader between the Mets and Cardinals since 1999.

Gyorko hit his 14th homer for an early edge in the nightcap. The Cardinals lead the NL with 138 home runs, one more than last year’s total.

St. Louis has homered in 17 straight games, its best streak since a team-record string of 19 games in 2006.

Cabrera tied it with a double in the third, and the Mets took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a double by Flores, a dropped flyball by right fielder Randal Grichuk and a double-play grounder.

Juan Lagares beat out an infield hit in the fifth, with Collins winning a challenge, and that set up Cabrera’s sacrifice fly.

In the opener, Gyorko homered off Noah Syndergaard (9-5) for a 3-0 lead in the third.

Carlos Martinez (10-6) gave up a two-run homer to Rene Rivera and left after the fifth inning. Three relievers finished, with Seung Hwan Oh getting his fifth save in six chances.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets 3B Jose Reyes went to the hospital with a strain in his side after getting hurt on a swing in his last at-bat of the opener. Collins said Reyes will be out “a couple of days.”

26TH MAN

The Cardinals recalled RHP Sam Tuivailala as the 26th player for the second game. He pitched a scoreless inning. The Mets brought up 27-year-old lefty Josh Smoker — he’s made 43 relief appearance for Triple-A Las Vegas, and has never been in the majors. He didn’t get into the game.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.09) is 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA in four July starts.

Mets: RHP Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.14) starts Wednesday night vs. St. Louis. No one on the Cardinals’ active roster has batted against him.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals’ game at the New York Mets on Monday night was postponed because of rain and will be made up as part of a doubleheader Tuesday starting at 3:10 p.m.

Showers started just before batting practice was scheduled to start, and the rainout was announced just before the scheduled 7:10 p.m. start.

Both games Tuesday will be broadcast on ESPN 1550. Coverage begins at 2:15 p.m.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adrian Gonzalez hit a grand slam and Howie Kendrick added a two-run homer, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers spoil Mike Mayers’ major league debut in a 9-6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night.

Scott Kazmir (9-3) pitched five innings to earn the victory. He allowed three runs on six hits.

After a rainout earlier in the week forced a doubleheader, the Cardinals decided not to start Carlos Martinez on short rest and called up Mayers, 24, from Triple-A Memphis for a spot start. St. Louis was the last team in the majors to use a pitcher not in their starting five this season.

Mayers (0-1) lasted just 1 1/3 innings, throwing 62 pitches. He gave up nine runs on eight hits, including two home runs. His ERA is 60.75.

Kenley Jansen got his 29th save in 34 opportunities with a spotless ninth.

The Dodgers scored six runs in a 45-pitch first inning.

Mayers loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Gonzalez crushed a fastball 427 feet to center field for his fifth career grand slam. After a double by Kendrick, Mayers struck out Yasmani Grandal and got a nice ovation from the crowd. With two outs, Joc Pederson walked and stole second. Kazmir singled up the middle for the final two runs and his first RBI of the year.

Matt Holliday doubled home a run in the first. It was the first run scored in the first inning by St. Louis since July 3.

After Los Angeles chased Mayers in the second with three more runs, Tommy Pham cut the Dodgers’ advantage to 9-3 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning.

Four St. Louis relievers combined for 7 2/3 scoreless innings.

In the seventh, Los Angels failed to score despite four walks.

Dodgers reliever Adam Liberatore allowed three runs in the seventh inning. It was the first runs he’s allowed since May 20 — a span that covers 29 games. He had pitched scoreless relief in 41 of his previous 42 games this year.

HOT HOT HOT

The temperature at the start of the game was 96 degrees.

TRANSACTIONS

Dodgers: Los Angeles called up RHP Ross Stripling from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned LHP Grant Dayton, who threw two scoreless innings in his debut on Friday night. The Dodgers needed a fresh arm after using 17 pitchers in the previous two games.

Cardinals: To make room on the team’s 25-man roster for Mayers, St. Louis optioned RHP Miguel Socolovich to Memphis following Saturday’s game. Socolovich made two relief appearances while in St. Louis.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: RF Yasiel Puig (right hamstring) did not start for the third straight game.

Cardinals: INF Matt Carpenter is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment this week. Carpenter, sidelined since July 6 with a strained right oblique, took swings in the outdoor batting cage and ran the bases Sunday.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: On Tuesday, Bud Norris (5-9, 4.56) will square off against Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer (5-13, 4.60). Norris’ last start was July 20, but he pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief during Friday’s 16-inning game against St. Louis and took the loss.

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez (9-6, 2.83) faces the New York Mets’ Noah Syndergaard (9-4, 2.43). Martinez logged seven innings in a 4-2 win over San Diego in his last start despite suffering a bloody nose.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Justin Turner spent Saturday night proving his skipper right.

The red-hot Turner went 2 for 5 and his two-run double in the third proved to be the winning RBI as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat St. Louis 7-2 to end the Cardinals’ five-game winning streak.

Turner’s double capped a four-run third. He has 14 RBI since the All-Star break.

Before the game, manager Dave Roberts called Turner a legitimate middle of the order hitter. Turner, who is hitting .378 since the All-Star break, reinforced those words with action.

“He’s huge,” outfielder Joc Pederson said. “He comes up big in situations, a great hitter and puts ball in gaps and over the fence that knock in runs that are key, key runs for us.”

Adrian Gonzalez hit his eighth home run — a 429-foot solo blast to center — to spark a three-run sixth.

Kenta Maeda (9-7) rebounded from a poor outing against Arizona on July 17, giving up two runs over 5 2/3 innings. Only one of the Cardinals’ first 15 batters was able to hit the ball out of the infield against the Japanese right-hander.

Maeda helped himself with an RBI bunt single to start the third-inning rally. Maeda said through an interpreter that the early lead gave him confidence.

“It helps me attack hitters, but at the same time since they did give me the early lead I want to throw a little more,” Maeda said.

Andrew Toles went 3 for 4 and scored once for the Dodgers. He has reached safely in nine of 10 games since being called up from the minors.

“He can hit, he can defend and he can run,” Roberts said. “And that element of speed is something we definitely don’t have so to have that dynamic is fun.”

Leake (7-8) allowed seven runs — six earned — in six innings. He was victimized by a mental error on Maeda’s single when second baseman Greg Garcia failed to cover first on the bunt attempt.

“I wasn’t hitting my spots as well tonight,” Leake said. “They were ready for mistakes. I think they had a pretty good approach tonight and they were jumping on me early. I just wasn’t placing the ball exactly where I wanted it.”

Matt Adams homered for the second consecutive game. His blast to left in the fourth extended the Cardinals’ streak of home runs to 14 games.

Aledmys Diaz reached safely for the 26th straight game with a first-inning single. Diaz’s streak is the second-longest by a Cardinals rookie since Albert Pujols had streaks of 30 and 48 games in 2001.

The loss dropped St. Louis’ home record to 25-29.

After going just 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position in Friday’s 16-inning loss, Roberts was happy with the offensive production.

“I think that offensively as a team we’re trending in the right direction,” Roberts said. “It’s about knowing you can win baseball games when you’re not playing your best. I think our focus has been much better on just the day-to-day and I think if we can continue that we’ll be OK.”

ANOTHER FRESH FACE

The Dodgers recalled RHP Ross Stripling and optioned LHP Grant Dayton to Triple-A Oklahoma City after Friday’s game created a need for a fresh arm in the bullpen.

TRAINING ROOM

Dodgers: OF Yasiel Puig (hamstring) did plyometrics and sprint work. Roberts did not rule out a start Sunday.

Cardinals: IF Matt Carpenter (right oblique) took swings, but there is no timetable for his return.

UP NEXT:

Dodgers: LHP Scott Kazmir (8-3, 4.30 ERA) allowed one run in seven innings against Washington in his last start on July 19. He is 2-0 with a 3.20 ERA in three career starts against St. Louis.

Cardinals: RHP Mike Mayers will make his major league debut in primetime after going 3-3 with a 2.94 ERA in nine starts at Triple-A Memphis. With Mayers’ start, St. Louis will become the last team in the majors to use a starter outside of the starting five that opened the season.

— Associated Press —