Cardinals  2    Mets  3

Recap: NY Mets vs. St. Louis

Sports Network | June 25, 2009

Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Johan Santana was solid on the mound, and Nick Evans' two-run double in the fourth inning was the difference, as the Mets edged St. Louis, 3-2, in the finale of a four-game set at Citi Field.

Fernando Tatis drove in the other run for New York, which took three of four from the Cardinals. Santana (9-5) allowed seven hits, two runs -- one earned -- three walks and struck out three over seven innings before handing the ball to the bullpen.

Pedro Feliciano worked around a leadoff single in the eighth, and Francisco Rodriguez overcame a rocky ninth to record his 20th save of the season.

After striking out the first two batters, Rodriguez issued back-to-back walks to Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick before getting Yadier Molina to line out to left field to end the game.

Molina finished 2-for-5 and knocked in a run for St. Louis, which had won five of six entering this series with the Mets. Joe Thurston added a run-scoring single in defeat.

Chris Carpenter (5-2) tossed seven strong innings with only one hiccup when he was touched for three runs in the fourth. The right-hander scattered just four hits, fanned five and did not walk a batter.

St. Louis scratched out a run in the first on a two-out, bloop single to center by Molina and appeared primed for more offense in the second, but Santana got Pujols to fly out to escape a bases-loaded jam.

The Mets pushed three runs across in the fourth to seize the lead. Carpenter had yet to allow a hit through the first three frames, but Luis Castillo and David Wright started the inning with consecutive singles. Tatis stroked a base hit two batters later to put New York on the board, and Evans took a pitch the opposite way to right field for a two-run double.

Thurston muscled a two-out single to center in the sixth, scoring Rick Ankiel, who led off the inning with a double.

Pujols went 1-for-4 and walked...Santana had lost three of his last four starts...St. Louis finished 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base.