NEW YORK (AP) — Daisuke Matsuzaka pinched his eyelids, clenched his teeth and thought back. He couldn’t remember all the details of the first save of his professional career.

After 123 starts during seven seasons in Major League Baseball, the 33-year-old right-hander was turned into a reliever by the New York Mets when they brought him up from the minor leagues on April 16. Eight days later, manager Terry Collins took a chance — a roll of the Dice-K? — and Matsuzaka responded with a perfect ninth inning Thursday to cap a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

He hadn’t saved a game since May 2000, his second season with the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Pacific League, when he struck out four during the final three innings of a 9-0 win at the Chiba Lotte Marines.

“It’s definitely different,” he said through a translator, “but I think I’m starting to get used to going from the bullpen.”

Chris Young homered to start New York’s comeback from a 1-0, fifth-inning deficit, slumping Curtis Granderson singled in a run as a pinch hitter and Daniel Murphy drove in two runs. Bartolo Colon (2-3) allowed four hits in seven innings, struck out eight and walked none, sending Lance Lynn to his first career loss in April.

Matsuzaka, who completed a four-pitcher, four-hitter, was a rookie of the year in Japan in 1999, MVP as his national team won the first World Baseball Classic in 2006 and was given a $52 million, six-year contract by the Boston Red Sox after they paid Seibu $51,111,111.11 for his rights.

Matsuzaka went 15-12 in his first season with the Red Sox and 18-3 in his second, but he injured a hip during the 2009 WBC and was never the same, hurting his arm and eventually needing elbow ligament-replacement surgery.

He was just 50-37 for the Red Sox and signed a minor league contract in February 2013 with Cleveland, which released him in August. Then he joined the Mets, started seven games and signed a minor league deal with New York, which initially sent him to Triple-A Las Vegas this spring.

But when Bobby Parnell’s season ended with a torn elbow ligament on opening day, the Mets had to scramble to restock their bullpen. Jose Valverde struggled as the closer and Kyle Farnsworth took over the role.

Manager Terry Collins wanted to give the 38-year-old Farnsworth a rest after three appearances in four days.

“I just said this is a good opportunity to see how Dice handles it,” Collins explained, “and he did well.”

In a 15-pitch outing, Matsuzaka retired Allen Craig on a lineout to right after falling behind 3-1, struck out Daniel Descalso in an eight-pitch at-bat and got Peter Bourjos on a game-ending foulout to the catcher.

“Before, I never really thought I would be able to pitch out of the bullpen because I just take so long to prepare,” Matsuzaka said. “I think I just have to keep pitching well to gain full confidence from the team, but I think having had a few opportunities in tight situations definitely is encouraging.”

Collins said Farnsworth, who has two saves, remains his first-choice closer but Matsuzuka may receive more ninth-inning opportunities. His preparation, which includes lengthy stretching, will have to change.

“If he’s going to pitch the back end of the game, be it the eighth, the ninth, somewhere in there,” the manager said, “I don’t want him to wear himself out in the fifth inning, at 8:15. I want him to kind of save something.”

Dice-K said it’s as much mental as physical.

“Just to comfort myself, I think I throw more than I probably have to,” he said.

New York also gave 40-year-old right fielder Bobby Abreu hit first big league start since July 25, 2012. Abreu went 1 for 3 with an opposite-field double to left in the fifth — his first hit with the Mets.

“It’s been a long time,” he said. “It was kind of exciting. At first I had to calm down my emotions and just go out there and play the game.”

New York took three of four from the defending NL champions and has won four of five overall.

St. Louis lost for the sixth time in nine games and has gone 291 at-bats without a home run since Allen Craig connected at Milwaukee off Wily Peralta on April 16.

Lynn (4-1) had been 12-0 through April in his big league career, including one March victory. But given a fifth-inning lead, he allowed the Mets to tie the score in the bottom half and go ahead 2-1 on Murphy’s RBI double in the sixth, a ball that dropped just in front of diving centerfielder Jon Jay.

Lynn was chased in a two-run seventh after Eric Young Jr. bunted and reached on a two-base error when the pitcher threw off first baseman Matt Adams’ glove and into right field. Granderson had been 2 for 20 against left-handers this year before he greeted Kevin Siegrist with an RBI single, and Murphy singled in the final run.

“We’ve been home six days in the past 2 1/2 months,” Lynn said. “I think a lot of people are looking forward to getting home and sleeping in their own beds.”

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Lucas Duda hit a long home run and the New York Mets threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 Wednesday night with a stiff wind whipping through Citi Field.

Jonathon Niese earned his first win of the season, and shortstop Ruben Tejada cut down Matt Carpenter for the second out of the ninth on a strong relay from center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny challenged the call by plate umpire Marty Foster, which was upheld following a replay review of 1 minute, 20 seconds that showed catcher Travis d’Arnaud nicked Carpenter with a sweep tag near his armpit.

Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha (2-2) set career highs with 10 strikeouts and five walks in the shortest of his 14 regular-season starts in the majors. A bizarre outing if ever there was one — but it was that sort of night.

With a runner on second, Kyle Farnsworth retired Matt Holliday on a fly to right to end it.

Curtis Granderson snapped his career-worst hitless skid at 22 at-bats with a first-inning single, and the Mets got 6 2/3 effective innings from Niese (1-2) before turning it over to the bullpen.

Carlos Torres and Scott Rice escaped an eighth-inning jam before Farnsworth worked the ninth for his second save. He gave up consecutive singles and an RBI double to pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso that one-hopped the wall in left-center, but New York’s defense saved Farnsworth.

Carpenter had four hits and Yadier Molina added three for the Cardinals, but Jhonny Peralta’s hitless streak reached 21 at-bats. Peralta popped out with runners at second and third in the eighth before pinch-hitter Matt Adams flied out to end the inning.

Niese improved to 4-1 in six career starts against St. Louis.

The game began in 31 mph wind gusting up to 41 mph on a 51-degree night at a mostly empty stadium. Workers hustled between innings to clean up all the flying napkins and hot dog wrappers that littered the outfield — even bundled-up second base umpire Rob Drake helped out during a stoppage in play.

High popups and flyballs were an adventure. Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada dropped one after retreating into the outfield, then scampering back to the infield. New York still got an easy forceout on the play.

Wacha’s red cap blew right off his head as he was waiting for a new ball and rolled, like tumbleweed, to second baseman Mark Ellis.

Duda homered against Seth Maness leading off the sixth, a laser beam of a line drive that cut under the wind and nearly reached the Shea Bridge walkway above the bullpens in right-center.

It was the first home run for the Mets in their last seven home games, ending their longest such drought since May 2012.

Early on, it appeared the 22-year-old Wacha was headed to a record-setting performance.

Last year’s NL championship series MVP overpowered the Mets with nine strikeouts in the first three innings but soon lost his control. He walked three in the fourth, including No. 8 batter Tejada and Nieuwenhuis with the bases loaded, forcing in two runs.

Wacha was pulled for a pinch hitter in the fifth after throwing 93 pitches. Coming in, he had issued only three free passes in 26 innings this season.

Molina doubled home a run with two outs in the first, extending his hitting streak to 14 games, after Tejada and the Mets botched a rundown that should have resulted in an inning-ending double play.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Adam Wainwright threw seven neat innings before leaving with a knee injury, and Jon Jay hit a two-run single that sent the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-0 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

Left fielder Matt Holliday robbed Chris Young of a tying homer, one night after the Mets played some dazzling defense of their own to post a shutout in the series opener.

Wainwright (4-1) faced the minimum through four innings and outpitched Dillon Gee. It was the second consecutive scoreless start for Wainwright, who tossed a two-hit shutout last Thursday at Washington.

After the game, Wainwright passed several tests on his knee and said he would be ready for his next start on Sunday.

“I’ll be all right,” Wainwright said. “Just give me a couple days and everything will be all right. I was very off balance, as you could probably see. Everything is good. At first, you feel a little scared, but as I walked off the field I knew I didn’t do anything wrong. All is good.”

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — The only thing Jenrry Mejia popped Monday night was his fastball.

Showing off a sizzling heater with wicked movement, Mejia pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning and led the New York Mets over the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0.

Mejia (3-0) bounced back well from a torn blister on his right middle finger that limited him to five innings in his last start. The 24-year-old righty began the game by getting Matt Carpenter to look at three straight strikes, and rarely was in trouble.

“Coming off the blister … we weren’t sure what he was going to give us,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “He gave us more than we expected, for sure.”

David Wright lined an early RBI single that extended his hitting streak to 12 games and Kyle Farnsworth earned his first save as the New York’s newest closer.

On an evening when the Mets debuted new camouflage tops to salute the military, they looked sharp, particularly on a double play started by shortstop Ruben Tejada.

The Cardinals lost for the third time in four games.

“Their shortstop kind of stopped any kind of rally from happening,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.

“Being frustrated, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that,” he said after the NL champions were shut out for the third time this year. “I think the bigger story is that our offense will get going on a consistent basis.”

Mejia struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings and walked three. He stretched his scoreless streak to 13 2/3 innings.

Mejia said the blister was hardly a concern. The St. Louis hitters were the ones having trouble, not him.

“They know my fastball moves,” he said.

Scott Rice and Carlos Torres each got two outs before Farnsworth, the Mets’ third closer this year, pitched the ninth for his first save.

Farnsworth inherited the role after Bobby Parnell needed Tommy John surgery and Jose Valverde struggled. Farnsworth had two saves last season for Pittsburgh.

Tyler Lyons (0-1) lost in his first major league game of the season. Promoted from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day to take the rotation spot of injured Joe Kelly, he allowed two runs and six hits in six innings.

A 26-year-old lefty with a big-breaking slider, Lyons struck out seven. He’s another in the long line of tall, homegrown pitchers developed by the Cardinals, and went 2-4 last year in his first big league season.

Lyons struck out the first two batters in the third before Eric Young Jr. singled for the Mets’ first hit. Slumping Curtis Granderson was hit by a pitch and Wright singled for a 1-0 lead.

Lyons’ throwing error on a tapper set up another run in the sixth. Daniel Murphy walked, later stole third and scored on a single by Travis d’Arnaud.

Mejia escaped his biggest jam in the sixth when, with runners at the corners and one out, he retired Matt Holliday on a popup and Matt Adams on a grounder.

The previous inning, the Mets backed Mejia with a sweet double play. Tejada dived to stop Jon Jay’s grounder up the middle and flipped to Murphy, and the second baseman made a barehanded catch and spun quickly for the relay.

“Tremendous double play,” Collins praised.

— Associated Press —

WASHINGTON (AP) — Denard Span’s approach with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning proves math pays off.

Facing a five-man infield, Span hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth and the Washington Nationals, with Bryce Harper back in the lineup and stealing his first base of the season, rallied past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 Sunday.

The Nationals loaded the bases against Seth Maness (0-1) when Danny Espinosa singled through third baseman Matt Carpenter’s legs with one out for his third hit, Jose Lobaton singled through the right side of the infield and pinch hitter Nate McLouth walked.

In his second game since being activated from the seven-day disabled list following a concussion, Span lofted a fly to left field. Espinosa easily beat the throw from Jon Jay, who shifted over from right field as St. Louis brought in an extra infielder.

“I counted: one, two, three, four, five,” Span said. “Right there I told myself a groundball probably not going to do it. Try to get the ball in the air somehow.”

After Espinosa crossed home, the Nationals mobbed Span, who suddenly had something else on his mind.

“I was screaming so loud, so into the moment, but at the same time I’m thinking don’t hit me upside the head too hard because I just came off the DL,” said the smiling center fielder, who grounded out with the bases full in the sixth before delivering the game-winner.

The Nationals split the four-game series. They had lost eight of the previous nine meetings with the Cardinals going into the series wrap-up.

“That’s a play I’m expecting to make and a play that I expect myself to make and I didn’t make it,” Carpenter said of his ninth-inning whiff. “It ended up costing us.”

Harper started in left field and went 1 for 4. The two-time All-Star was pulled from the game a day earlier for what manager Matt Williams called a “lack of hustle” after he failed to run out a comebacker to the mound.

The two spoke before Sunday’s game.

“I sat with him for a couple of minutes in his locker and told him I’m confident in him and I’m proud of him and he was going to have impact today, which he did,” Williams said.

Harper had a somewhat different take on the conversation with Williams, as far as length goes.

“He just said, ‘Go get ’em.’ That’s the three words he said,” Harper said. “It’s good to get back out there and play and be part of a win.”

Harper was left stranded at second base as the possible go-ahead run as Anthony Rendon struck out against Pat Neshek in the eighth.

Rafael Soriano (1-0) pitched one inning for the win.

The Cardinals took an early edge against Stephen Strasburg and led 2-0 going into the seventh.

Washington tied the game with four straight singles off reliever Carlos Martinez, including RBI hits from Ian Desmond and Espinosa.

Strasburg struck out nine in six innings.

Shelby Miller left with the lead after pitching 5 1/3 innings for the Cardinals. He also hit a two-out, RBI double off Strasburg in the fourth.

St. Louis starting pitchers recorded an RBI in three of the four games versus Washington. Miller allowed four hits, striking out seven and walking five.

Matt Adams doubled twice and scored for the Cardinals.

“I was pretty happy we were able to put a couple together and obviously a big hit by Shelby,” manager Mike Matheny said. “That gives you a little bit of room and then we get the ball into the hands of guys we like to give the ball to. Good offenses are going to put together tough at-bats on tough pitching, and today they got us.”

True, though it took some doing. Washington left 17 runners on base and went 2 of 12 with runners in scoring position.

“Talk about those opportunities and giving ourselves that multiple times in the game, you like your chances, certainly,” Williams said. “Especially against a good team like that we want to create those. I don’t know how many guys we had on base today but it felt like a lot.”

— Associated Press —