Flores, Ruggiano power Mets to 7-4 win over Cardinals

ST. LOUIS -- Wilmer Flores and Justin Ruggiano homered as the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 on Tuesday night.

Jose Reyes reached four base times and scored three runs. Asdrubal Cabrera had three hits, drove in a run and scored once.

The offense helped Robert Gsellman (1-0) get the decision in his major league debut. Gsellman, pressed into action after starter Jonathon Niese left with an injury in the first inning, pitched 3 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run.

Jeurys Familia earned his 42nd save, one shy of the Mets' season record set by Familia last year and Armando Benitez in 2001.

Cardinals lefty Jaime Garcia (10-9) gave up a season-high six runs at home, in just four innings. New York broke a 22 1/3-inning streak in which Garcia hadn't given up an earned run at home to the Mets.

Brandon Moss reached three times and drove in a run while Randal Grichuk's solo homer in the sixth extended the Cardinals' home run streak to 12 games.

Yadier Molina had three hits and an RBI for St. Louis.

WEB GEMS

Cabrera made a diving stop on a grounder up the middle by Jhonny Peralta to end the third. Cabrera's stop and subsequent force out saved at least one run.

Yoenis Cespedes robbed Stephen Piscotty of a solo homer in the sixth with a leaping catch over the left field wall.

EARLY EXIT

Niese left the game after facing four batters with left knee pain.

Niese retired just one of the four hitters he faced, walking two and giving up an RBI single to Moss before being lifted for Gsellman. All three runners he allowed eventually scored.

TRAINERS ROOM

Mets: LHP Steven Matz (left shoulder tightness) was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to Aug. 15 and INF Neil Walker was placed on the paternity leave list. Gsellman and IF T.J. Rivera were recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Cardinals: IF Aledmys Diaz (right thumb fracture) took ground balls for the first time since being placed on the DL on Aug. 1 and INF Matt Adams (right shoulder inflammation) expects to go on a rehab assignment this week.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (7-6, 2.73 ERA) is looking to bounce back after allowing a career-high eight runs and 13 hits in a 10-7 loss to San Francisco on Aug. 18. He is 1-1 with a 4.38 ERA in two career games against St. Louis.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (11-7, 3.24 ERA) allowed one run over seven innings in an 8-2 win over Houston on Aug. 17. He is 2-1 with a 1.31 ERA in his career against New York.