PITTSBURGH (AP) — With the winning run on second base as he stepped into the batter’s box in the bottom of the ninth, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell could feel his heart racing.

The rookie tried to get his breathing under control but couldn’t. Adrenaline won out. The Pirates, too.

Bell sent a 1-2 pitch from St. Louis Cardinals closer Seung Hwan into the seats in left field to give Pittsburgh a dramatic 5-2 victory Friday night. Bell’s 17th home run of the season was also his first walk-off hit in the majors, a show of power that gave the Pirates their sixth win in seven games as they try to climb into the thick of the underwhelming race in the NL Central.

“It was cool,” Bell said. “The lights go off and come back on, you’re rounding third and you see all your teammates at home. I haven’t had that feeling since Double-A, and the stadium here is a little louder than that.”

Adam Frazier led off the inning with a double and Oh intentionally walked Andrew McCutchen with one out. Bell missed badly at the first offering from Oh (1-5) and then took a ball and a called strike before putting the ball into the seats over the outstretched arm of Cardinals left fielder Tommy Pham.

“It was too high. It was a missed pitch,” Oh said.

Bell finished 2 for 3 with four RBI. Frazier added three hits for Pittsburgh, and Gregory Polanco had two hits and an RBI.

Felipe Rivero (4-2) retired the Cardinals on seven pitches in the top of the ninth.

“That game was a bit of a roller coaster,” Bell said. “Setting the standard the first game of this series and the first game of this homestand was big.”

Jedd Gyorko hit a two-run homer in the first inning for the Cardinals, but St. Louis was limited to just four hits the rest of the way against Gerrit Cole and three relievers.

“I thought we did a good job of staying in the ballgame, playing tough and Josh coming up big after putting Andrew on,” Cole said.

Both teams sent their de facto aces out to start the second half of the season in search of some early traction as they try to chase down first-place Milwaukee the wide-open NL Central.

Cole put together a wildly inconsistent first half that mirrored the fortunes of his scuffling team. He came in allowing one run three times in his last seven starts, the same number of times he’s allowed seven runs over the same span.

It looked as though it could be another bumpy outing in the first when Gyorko sent a 3-2 slider into the seats in right-center field to give the Cardinals an early 2-0 lead. Cole settled down immediately, allowing just two more baserunners over six innings of work, striking out four without issuing a walk.

Mike Leake wasn’t quite as crisp. He retired the Pirates in order just once in five innings, allowing an RBI single to Bell in the fourth and another to Polanco in the fifth that tied the game, capping a two-out rally created by a rare bout of wildness from Leake, who walked the bases full. He struck out Francisco Cervelli to keep the game even.

Leake left after five, giving up two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and five walks, his highest total since May 22, 2015, while pitching for Cincinnati. Leake hinted plate umpire Jerry Layne’s strike zone was part of the problem.

“It wasn’t consistent,” Leake said. “If you have a consistent zone, it’s all right.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Placed OF Randal Grichuk (lower back strain) on the 10-day disabled list and recalled OF Jose Martinez from Triple-A Memphis. Martinez hit .280 with five home runs and 17 RBI in 50 games with St. Louis this season. … St. Louis also activated reliever Kevin Siegrist (cervical spine sprain) off the disabled list. … RF Stephen Piscotty left in the bottom of the ninth after straining his right groin while making a throw from the outfield. He was replaced by Martinez.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (7-6, 3.61 ERA) is coming off seven shutout innings in a victory over the New York Mets last weekend. Lynn is 6-6 with a 4.76 ERA against the Pirates.

Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (5-2, 2.73) will make his third career start against the Cardinals on Saturday. Taillon is 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA since returning from treatment for testicular cancer. He was scratched from his scheduled start last Sunday against the Cubs after getting food poisoning.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Lance Lynn said he felt terrible before his start on Sunday.

He made the New York Mets feel even worse.

Lynn pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, and Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong and Luke Voit homered as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Mets 6-0.

“The sinker was good, mixed the ball in and out,” Lynn said. “I was able to keep them off-balance with the fastball and change speeds with it so it worked out well.”

It was Lynn’s longest outing since May 23, when he threw 123 pitches in eight scoreless innings in a 2-1 loss to Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers.

Lynn (7-6) had a season-low two strikeouts, but he needed just 93 pitches while facing two batters over the minimum. He did not allow a runner past first and lowered his ERA to 3.61.

“He just came after hitters,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of guessing about what he was going to do today. You could tell from the pop-ups he was using the top of the zone well, but when he needed to make a pitch on the inside corner, he had it.”

Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side in the eighth and John Brebbia pitched a scoreless ninth as the Cardinals finished a 6-4 homestand and moved into a tie with the Chicago Cubs for second place in the National League Central.

Steven Matz (2-2) gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, his shortest outing since June 3. He struck out a season-low one.

“We’re not hitting, we’re not pitching,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “When you don’t pitch the game looks rugged. When you don’t hit, they look even worse.”

DeJong finished 2 for 4 and is 10 for his last 13 and is the first rookie and first Cardinals player in the modern era to have seven extra base hits in a three-game series.

“It was one of those days where I was seeing the ball well again,” DeJong said. “I wasn’t doing too much thinking. Overall, it’s a pretty good series.”

Matt Carpenter reached and scored twice. Yadier Molina had his second RBI in two games.

Pham drove a 3-1 pitch from Matz the other way over the right-field wall to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead in the third. It was Pham’s 11th homer of the season and first in six games.

DeJong’s homer, his third in three games, made it 4-0 in the fourth. Voit greeted Seth Lugo with an opposite field homer, his third in his last seven games, to right to make it 5-0.

Carpenter led off the first with a double and scored to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. It was the first time in six games that the Cardinals scored in the opening inning and it broke Matz’s 17-inning scoreless streak, the second-longest of his career.

EARLY EXIT

Pham left the game with right hip tightness after the sixth inning. He was 3 for 3 with two runs scored.

“I didn’t feel like I needed to push through something,” Pham said. “I thought it would be best to just leave the game and get some treatment because my hip was tight. It’s been tight for like two weeks.”

CONFORTO ZONE

Playing for the first time since missing the last 10 games due to a bruise left hand, Mets outfielder Michael Conforto went 1 for 4 with a single in the fourth inning.

“He was locating his pitches, throwing strikes,” Conforto said of Lynn. “He was mixing up sinkers and straight ones. He could elevate, he could hit the corners. It makes it tough when a guy can command his stuff like that.”

TRAINING ROOM

Mets: INF Neil Walker (partial tear, left hamstring) is continuing his rehab at the team’s spring training facility in Florida. … RHP Jeurys Familia (blood clot, right arm) is expected to start throwing this week.

Cardinals: 2B Kolten Wong (right tricep strain) went 1 for 4 in a rehab game with Double-A Springfield on Saturday.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (9-3, 3.65) will kick off a 10-game home stand against Colorado after the All-Star break. He is 2-0 with a 0.95 ERA in four career starts against the Rockies.

Cardinals: RHP Mike Leake (6-7, 3.12) will start at Pittsburgh as the team begins a 10-game road trip after the All-Star break. He is 10-5 with a 3.33 ERA in 30 career starts against the Pirates.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul DeJong had no guaranties when he was recalled by the St. Louis Cardinals on June 15.

He’s certainly making a strong case for an extended stay in the big leagues.

DeJong homered as part of a four-hit game and Adam Wainwright won his third consecutive start as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 4-1 on Saturday.

DeJong notched his first career four-hit game with three doubles to go along with the homer. He became the first Cardinals shortstop and No. 8 hitter in the modern era to have four extra-base hits in one game.

“It was just one of those days when you’re in the zone and seeing it really well and not thinking too much,” DeJong said. “Just going up there trying to see the ball down the middle and hit it really. That’s as simple as it can be.”

DeJong drove in two and scored twice. He is hitting .625 (10 for 16) during a five-game hitting streak.

“I’m just controlling my emotions in the (batter’s) box, not trying to create anything,” DeJong said. “At times I can get out of my zone and swing at pitches that I shouldn’t be, swinging when I’m trying to do too much.”

Wainwright (10-5) pitched 6 2/3 innings, lasting into the seventh for the third time in his last four starts. Three of the five hits he allowed came in the seventh and he struck out seven, including the side in the sixth inning.

“I thought his cutter slider was his best all season and then he didn’t try to overthrow his fastball,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “I thought he just did a real nice job of executing pitches all day.”

Seung Hwan Oh earned his 18th save in 21 chances. Matt Bowman got Wainwright out of his seventh-inning jam and Brett Cecil pitched a scoreless eighth.

DeJong’s leadoff homer in the third, his second in as many games, gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. It is the third time in DeJong’s 34-game career that he has hit home runs in back-to-back days.

“Not surprising to me at all that Paul’s having such a great start,” Wainwright said. “He’s hit in every league he’s been in.”

Yadier Molina’s double in the sixth made it 2-0 Cardinals. It was Molina’s first RBI in five games.

Jay Bruce’s 23rd home run of the season cut the Cardinals’ lead to 2-1 in the seventh. It is a career high for Bruce in the first half of the season and it is the most homers by a Mets before the All-Star break since Carlos Beltran hit 25 in 2006.

Zack Wheeler (3-6) struck out five in six innings in his second start since returning from the disabled list with biceps tendinitis. It was his longest outing since going seven innings on June 7.

“I think the fastball command was there, better than it has been so I’m happy with that,” Wheeler said. “But I made a couple of mistakes to DeJong and Molina and it cost me a couple of runs.”

BASERUNNING BLUNDERS

The Cardinals ran themselves out of scoring chances in the third and fourth innings. In the third, Tommy Pham was caught stealing for the third out with a runner on third and clean-up hitter Jedd Gyorko batting. In the fourth, Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud ended the inning with a strikeout out-throw out double play, catching Molina trying to steal third.

D’ARNAUD’S DAY

Aside from throwing out the two would-be base stealers, d’Arnaud thwarted another potential Cardinals rally by pouncing on a bunt by Wainwright and throwing DeJong out at third for the first out of the fifth inning.

“We always knew he had the arm strength,” Mets manager Terry Collins. “Now he’s got his throwing action back and he’s gotten a lot better.”

TRAINING ROOM

Mets: OF Michael Conforto (bruised left hand) was activated and was replaced on the 10-day DL by Brandon Nimmo (partially collapsed lung).

Cardinals: LHP Kevin Siegrist (cervical spine sprain) and LHP Zach Duke (left elbow surgery) each pitched a scoreless inning Friday in their rehab assignments at Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis, respectively.

UP NEXT

Mets: LHP Steven Matz (2-1, 2.12 ERA) will make his first career start against St. Louis. He has pitched 17 scoreless innings and is just two innings from his career-best 19 scoreless innings in 2016.

Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (6-6, 3.87 ERA) needs one strikeout for 858 to pass Harry Brecheen for 11th place on the team’s all-time list. He is 2/3 with a 2.97 ERA in seven career appearances against New York.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Even when he couldn’t keep the ball in the park, Jacob deGrom kept the Mets in the game.

And they hit enough homers of their own to win it.

Jose Reyes and Jay Bruce hit solo home runs to help deGrom win his fifth straight decision, and New York beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Friday night.

Bruce’s homer in the fifth gave broke a 4-all tie. It was his 11th home run in 61 career games at Busch Stadium.

deGrom (9-3) gave up four runs, all on solo homers, in seven innings. It was the first time in his career that deGrom gave up four home runs in a game, but it was good enough to tie his career-best winning streak set in 2014.

“Our guys kept putting up runs for me,” deGrom said. “They’d get a lead, then I’d give it up and they’d get another lead. I figured it was time to figure something out. A couple of those balls, I don’t know if they should have got out but whatever.”

deGrom gave up all four runs before throwing his first pitch from the stretch.

“He had great velocity tonight but location was off,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “Everything was up in the zone. He just didn’t have his command, but you look up and he was still out there in the seventh inning.”

Addison Reed earned his 15th save in 17 chances.

Reyes and Bruce each reached base three times and Reyes scored twice. T.J. Rivera also reached three times and drove in two runs.

“I feel like a pitcher’s true job is to keep you in the ballgame and give you a chance to win,” Bruce said. “Jake did that tonight. Gave up four solo home runs, but otherwise kept us in it and gave us a chance. The ace isn’t going to pitch like an ace every single time, but if he can keep you in it that’s huge.”

Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez (6-8) struggled again, giving up five runs in five innings for a second straight start while failing to record a perfect inning.

“My sinker wasn’t working. It just wasn’t going as planned as I usually have it and all my pitches were landing right in the middle,” Martinez said through an interpreter.

Reyes’ second home run in two games gave the Mets a 2-0 lead. Randal Grichuk and Paul DeJong led off the Cardinals’ third with back-to-back homers to tie it. It was the third time this season that St. Louis has had back-to-back home runs.

Travis d’Arnaud had an RBI single and Curtis Granderson followed with an RBI double to regain a 4-2 lead for the Mets in the fourth.

Dexter Fowler and Jedd Gyorko repeated the back-to-back homer act to lead off the fourth, tying it at 4. It is the first time the Cardinals have had two back-to-back homers in the same game since May 2, 2016.

DeJong went 3 for 3 and was just a triple away from the cycle. Gyorko had a pair of hits and drove in two runs.

NO COLON

The Minnesota Twins signed RHP Bartolo Colon to a minor league contract, ending speculation that the Mets would reunite with the 44-year-old.

“We made a strong effort to re-sign Bartolo,” Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said in a statement. “But he decided to go elsewhere.”

TOP PICK SIGNED

The Mets have signed their first-round selection, LHP David Peterson, the 20th overall pick in the 2017 first-year player draft. Peterson, 21, who signed for $2,994,500, will be assigned to Class A Brooklyn. He went 11-4 with a 2.51 ERA and a school-record 140 strikeouts this year at the University of Oregon.

WELCOME BACK

Fowler (right heel spur) was activated from the 10-day disabled list before the game and OF Jose Martinez was optioned to Triple-A Memphis. His solo homer moved him into a tie with Matt Carpenter for the Cardinals’ team lead in homers with 14.

TRAINING ROOM

Mets: OF Michael Conforto (bruised left hand) is with the team and is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Saturday.

Cardinals: LHP Kevin Siegrist (cervical spine sprain) started a rehab assignment at Double-A Springfield on Friday.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler (3-5, 5.01 ERA) received a no-decision in 3 2/3 innings on July 1 in his first start since coming off the disabled list with biceps tendinitis. It will be his first career start against St. Louis.

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (9-5, 5.48 ERA) has earned the win in his last two starts, even though he gave up six runs in five innings against Miami in his last start on Monday. He is 3-5 with a 5.03 ERA in 11 career appearances against New York.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Luke Voit is living his childhood dream with his hometown St. Louis Cardinals.

And the Cardinals are reaping the benefits.

The rookie first baseman hit his second home run and drove in three runs to help the Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Thursday.

“What a great day for Luke,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. ” … This kid continues to take great at-bats in big situations and it’s hard not to have him in the lineup when he’s swinging like he is.”

Voit, who also doubled, started for the fourth consecutive day at first base. He has seven RBI during the month of July, tied for the team lead with outfielder Tommy Pham, and is hitting .333 through his first 11 games in the majors.

“I’m just trying to do my job and try to drive in runs, especially hitting in those key situations,” Voit said. “I’m glad I’m helping the team win.”

“He’s been a game-changer so far,” said Jedd Gyorko, who also had two hits.

The Cardinals, who had lost two straight, earned a four-game series split after winning the previous two series against the Diamondbacks and Nationals.

The Cardinals’ eight hits backed another good outing from Michael Wacha (6-3), who allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked two.

Marcell Ozuna had three hits and three RBI for the Marlins. Dee Gordon had two hits, scored three runs and stole two bases.

Miami starter Tom Koehler (1-4) allowed three runs and four hits over five innings. He struck out seven and walked three. The two hits by Voit were costly.

“An 0-2 curveball that was supposed to get buried and didn’t get there and an 1-0 slider that he did a good job driving the other way,” Koehler said. “That’s a strong boy. He’s got a good swing.”

The Marlins took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Ozuna’s two-out RBI single.

Voit tied it with a solo homer in the second inning. It traveled an estimated 446 feet and landed in the Big Mac Land section of the second deck, the first Cardinal to hit a home run there this season.

“That’s something I grew up wanting to do my whole life,” said Voit, who grew up idolizing former Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire. “To do it here is pretty sweet. I’m definitely going to remember that forever.”

Ozuna made it 2-1 with a broken-bat RBI single to right in the third.

Voit had a two-out, two-run double off the right field wall in the third to put the Cardinals ahead 3-2.

Randal Grichuk hit a solo home run, his eighth, in the sixth to make it 4-2.

Ozuna added another RBI single in the seventh.

Cardinals closer Seung Hwan Oh capped off a strong performance by the St. Louis bullpen. He allowed a leadoff single in the ninth, but locked down his 17th save in 20 chances.

ICHIRO HITS ANOTHER MILESTONE

Ichiro Suzuki’s second-inning single to left field was his 3,053rd hit in the majors, which tied Rod Carew for 24th on the career hits list. His eighth-inning single, hit No. 3,054, passed Carew and made him the major’s all-time hits leader for foreign-born players. Carew is from Panama.

Next up on the career hits list at No. 23 is Rickey Henderson with 3,055.

MAN OF STEAL

Gordon became the third in the majors to record 30 steals this season, following Trea Turner and Billy Hamilton, when he stole second base in the first inning. Gordon added his 31st steal in the seventh. He’s now had 30 or more stolen bases in five of the past six seasons.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Gyorko (left groin tightness) was back in the starting lineup after not starting the previous two games.

UP NEXT

Marlins: RHP Dan Straily (6-4, 3.51 ERA) opens a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco on Friday night. He is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against the Giants.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (6-7, 3.15 ERA) opens a three-game series against the visiting Mets on Friday night. He is 3-1 with a 1.26 ERA in seven career appearances, including four starts, against the Mets.

— Associated Press —