ST. LOUIS — As unappetizing as opening an important August series with Jon Niese on the mound might have sounded for the Mets, what doesn’t kill you can make you stronger.
Niese was a disaster in his abbreviated start before leaving with left knee soreness Tuesday, but the Mets’ resolve — something that had been lacking in recent weeks — was on full display in a 7-4 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
For the first time since early July, the Mets (63-62) have a three-game winning streak. They are now within 3 ½ games of the Cardinals in the race for the NL’s second wild card, with the Marlins and Pirates still sitting in the middle.
After the game, the Mets placed Niese on the disabled list and recalled reliever Erik Goeddel from Triple-A Las Vegas.
Whether it was rookies Robert Gsellman and Josh Smoker combining to allow one run over 5 ²/₃ innings in relief before the Mets’ horses took over in the seventh or Justin Ruggiano hitting his second homer in his last three starts, manager Terry Collins’ crew found help in unexpected places.
The Mets even received a defensive gem from Yoenis Cespedes, who made a leaping catch in the left-field corner to rob Stephen Piscotty of a possible home run in the sixth.
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“If there was a team effort, tonight was it,” Collins said.
Wilmer Flores also delivered a key blow, a three-run homer in the first inning against Jaime Garcia that gave the Mets an important cushion before Niese even walked to the mound.
Jose Reyes reached base four times, scored twice and stole a base, and Asdrubal Cabrera was 3-for-5 with a stolen base. The Mets were 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position, including James Loney’s bloop RBI single in the ninth.
The Mets bullpen entered with a 6.03 ERA in August, but came to the rescue on Tuesday. After Gsellman, Smoker, Jerry Blevins and Jim Henderson carried a two-run lead into the eighth, Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia finished the job. Familia earned his 42nd save in 45 chances this season.
Gsellman gave the Mets a chance with 3 ²/₃ innings of scoreless relief in his major league debut after Niese faced only four batters (three of whom reached base) in the first.
“It was the first time I had ever come out of the bullpen, so it felt kind of awkward,” Gsellman said. “But you still have to take the mound the same way when you’re starting, so I just thought I was starting the game again and tried to make some pitches.”
Niese departed after just 21 pitches because of soreness in his left knee. The lefty didn’t experience discomfort during his pregame bullpen session, but had an issue once the game began.
“It progressively got worse and worse,” said Niese, who first injured the knee in June and indicated he may need surgery. “I can’t keep going out there like that. There’s a lot of pain, it’s altering my mechanics, I am not able to stay behind each pitch or locate. I’m really not helping myself out or the team.”
The Mets’ recuperative powers were on full display after Niese had flushed the three-run lead handed to him in the first. In the second, Reyes and Cabrera each delivered a run-scoring hit, and Ruggiano’s homer leading off the fourth extended the Mets’ lead to 6-3.
Yadier Molina stroked Gsellman’s first major league pitch for an RBI double and Jhonny Peralta’s ensuing ground out had tied it 3-3. Niese had walked two batters and allowed an RBI single to Brandon Moss before departing.
Flores’ three-run homer in the first gave the Mets the cushion they needed to absorb Niese’s outing. Reyes and Cabrera pulled off a double steal before Flores cleared the left-field fence against Garcia. The blast was Flores’ 13th this season and ninth in 89 at-bats against lefties.
“It’s nice to see the majority of our lineup back, and they know they are playing for something,” Collins said. “Each and every night we’ve got to grind it out and tonight was one of those nights.”
