ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt homered, Richie Palacios hit a two-run single and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 7-3 on Sunday to avert a four-game series sweep.
Goldschmidt finished with three hits and three RBIs as St. Louis stopped a four-game slide. Tommy Edman, Alec Burleson and rookie Masyn Winn each had two hits.
Cardinals right-hander Dakota Hudson (5-0) struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs and and five hits in his fourth straight win.
Hudson credited his recent run to an improved slider.
“It protects and enhances my arsenal well,” he said. “Lets me free up my game a little bit. It’s more about location and not so much about being nasty. More of a mentality of getting it in the right place.”
Pete Alonso connected for New York, which had won four in a row. Alonso has 39 homers and has gone deep in four of his last five games.
Goldschmidt drilled a two-run homer off Carlos Carrasco in fifth inning, lifting the Cardinals to a 3-2 lead. It was Goldschmidt’s 20th homer.
“He’s locked in to what works,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said.
Goldschmidt had three or more hits for the eighth time this season.
St. Louis added four more runs in the seventh. Willson Contreras singled in Goldschmidt, and Jordan Walker doubled home Nolan Arenado. Palacios capped the big inning with his two-run single.
Palacios also made a big defensive play to end the second, reaching over the fence in center to take a home run away from DJ Stewart.
“I practice balls at the wall a decent amount,” Palacios said. “I’m just trying to get to the wall, find the ball and from there it’s just athleticism that takes over. It was a pretty crazy catch.”
Carrasco (3-7) was charged with three runs and nine hits in four innings.
“He had a competitive outing,” New York manager Buck Showalter said.
MOVING ON UP
The Mets recalled right-hander Reed Garrett from Triple-A Syracuse. Right-hander Vinny Nittoli was sent down.
The 30-year-old Garrett pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in the loss.
SUNDAY SPECIAL
The Cardinals improved to 13-7 on Sundays this season. It is their only winning day of the the week.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: LHP Matthew Liberatore is bothered by a sore back and had his his scheduled Monday start moved to Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Mets: LHP David Peterson (3-7, 5.45 ERA) will start in the first game of a three-game series in Atlanta on Monday.
Cardinals: LHP Drew Rom will start the first game of a three-game series on Monday in Pittsburgh. Rom, who was acquired from Baltimore at the trade deadline as part of the Jack Flaherty deal, will be making his major debut. The Pirates have yet to name a starter.
