Cardinals  0    Mets  9

Recap: NY Mets vs. St. Louis

Sports Network | August 5, 2009

Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Angel Pagan finished 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and four RBI, as the New York Mets downed St. Louis, 9-0, in the final contest of a two-game series.

David Wright added three hits and also slugged a two-run shot for the Mets, who earned a split in the set and snapped a three-game losing skid.

Nelson Figueroa (1-2) got the win, his first since September 1, 2008, after pitching 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and helped his cause with a two- run triple.

Pressed into service after starter Jonathon Niese lasted only 1 2/3 innings before leaving with a complete tear of his right upper hamstring tendon, Figueroa allowed four hits and fanned five without a walk after allowing six runs on 10 hits in just 1 2/3 innings in Monday's loss to Arizona.

Niese will undergo surgery to repair the tendon and is out for the remainder of the season.

"It was unfortunate for Niese, and our prayers go out to him," Figueroa said. "He was throwing the ball well. I got thrown in there, and all I wanted to do was throw quick strikes and maintain the lead, and I was able to do that."

Albert Pujols and Joe Thurston each collected two hits apiece for the Cardinals, who had won three of four coming in.

Kyle Lohse (4-7) was tagged in the loss for seven hits and five runs over 2 2/3 frames.

"I think he understands what to do and what not to do," said Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa on his starter. "You can't leave balls up like that. He paid for it. When it's not working, it's not working."

Wright stroked an opposite-field, two-run homer to right in the first, then the Mets brought home three more in the second on Figueroa's two-run triple off the glove of Cards centerfielder Rick Ankiel and Ankiel's error on a fly ball from Pagan.

"I looked behind me and the ball was going pretty far," Figueroa said about his unusually long hit. "With my speed I was happy to get a triple."

The Cards loaded the bases in the fifth, but Figueroa worked out of trouble by striking out Matt Holliday to end the inning.

In the sixth, Pagan's RBI triple and a run-scoring hit from Alex Cora pushed the Mets' lead to 7-0, then Pagan crushed a two-run homer in the eighth.

After Figueroa departed following the sixth, Bobby Parnell stepped in and held the Cardinals off the scoreboard for the final three innings to pick up his first save of the season.

St. Louis won the season series, 5-4...Mets second baseman Luis Castillo did not play and is day-to-day with a mild sprain of his left ankle suffered on Tuesday when he slipped on the dugout steps...Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield left the game in the seventh inning and was later diagnosed with tightness in his right hamstring. Following the game, Sheffield said in his experience it was best to rest it, not stretch the area too much and see what happens day-to-day...New York begins a seven-game road swing in San Diego on Thursday, and St. Louis heads to Pittsburgh on Friday...Mets shortstop Jose Reyes underwent an MRI that found significant scar tissue and inflammation behind his right knee, related to his hamstring tendon injury. He will remain in New York for manual physical therapy.