Mets Fall Run Short at Busch in First of Split Twin Bill 6-5
- Howie Karpin
- 2 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Cardinals 6 Mets 5 (Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Mo.)
Mets Record: 22-12
Mets Streak: L 1
Mets Last 10: 5-5
WP: Erick Fedde (2-3)
LP: Blade Tidwell (0-1)
SV: Ryan Hesley (5)
Seat On The Korner: Willson Contreras
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
First baseman Willson Contreras led the charge for the Cardinals, collecting three hits and driving in three runs to help St. Louis edge the Mets, 6–5, and snap a frustrating nine-game losing streak against the Kings of Queens. Contreras wasted no time making his presence felt, rudely greeting Mets rookie Blade Tidwell—who was making his much-anticipated Major League debut—with a towering game-tying solo home run in the second inning.
After a quiet start, the game turned in the fourth. With two outs and two on, Brendan Donovan delivered a clutch two-run single to break a 2–2 tie and tilt the momentum in the Cardinals’ favor. Contreras followed with a sharp two-run single of his own, chasing Tidwell from the game and extending the St. Louis lead to 6–2. Those final two RBIs would prove critical, as the Mets clawed their way back but ultimately fell a run short.
For his performance—rude welcome, clutch bat, and streak-snapping impact—Contreras earns our nod as the Star of the Game. And with that honor, we virtually invite him to take a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do in his legendary postgame studio show on WOR Channel 9 in the early decades of Mets baseball.
Need To Know:
23-year-old Tidwell is the Mets #15 prospect in the system. Tidwell was 1-2 with a 5.00 ERA at Syracuse this season. 9 IP over last two starts: 9H, 4 ER, one walk and 18Ks.
With 6 runs scored off of Tidwell, the Mets starting pitchers streak of 33 consecutive games by allowing four runs or less came to an end.
ERA for Mets starters rose from 2.32 to 2.59.
Luisangel Acuna made his first career start at third base and played flawless defense. Acuna had three hits and has hit safely in 15 of his last 18 games with an at bat. Hitting .363 (23 for 63) over that span.
With two doubles in his first two at bats, Pete Alonso is hitting .444 (8 for 18), 0 HRS, 2 RBI vs. Cardinals starter Erick Fedde. Alonso now has an NL leading 13 doubles.
Brandon Nimmo's RBI double in the first inning was his fourth straight hit of the series.
Left fielder Jesse Winker left the game in the fourth with right side discomfort. Starting second-baseman Jeff McNeil moved to LF, Acuna moved over to second base and Mark Vientos entered the game at third base.
Pitcher Austin Warren was added as the 27th man for the doubleheader.
Turning Point:
The Mets, as they’ve done so often in 2025, refused to go quietly. Trailing 6–2, they chipped away at the Cardinals’ lead, scratching out runs and ratcheting up the tension at Citi Field. By the bottom of the eighth, the deficit had shrunk to a single run, and the Mets loaded the bases with one out for their slugger, Pete Alonso.
It was a classic showdown: Alonso, the Mets' most dangerous power threat, stepping in against Cardinals left-handed reliever JoJo Romero, who had been summoned specifically for this high-wire moment. The count went full—3-and-2—as Alonso fouled off pitches and Romero nibbled at the corners. With the crowd on its feet, Romero unfurled a perfectly located backdoor slider. Alonso froze, thinking it might have missed. But home plate umpire Alan Porter rung him up, and Alonso walked away shaking his head.
The threat wasn’t quite over—Brandon Nimmo, the always-pesky leadoff man, followed with a chance to tie or take the lead. But Romero induced a fly ball to shallow center field, ending the Mets' best chance at a comeback and leaving the bases full of regret
Three Keys:
Pete doesn't get Busch-ed in St. Louis
Alonso, despite the rare occurrence that he didn't come through in the eighth, is slashing .338/.516/.735 with an OPS of 1.251 with seven home runs and 13 RBI In 19 career games at Busch Stadium.
Blade Runners
Tidwell gave up six runs in 3 2/3 innings pitched. The young right hander put 13 runners on base (9 hits, 3 BBs and one hit by pitch) but he showed that he wasn't scared. After getting in and out of trouble in the first three innings, the third time through the Cardinals order proved to be his undoing. 7 of those 13 runners came from left hand hitters. LH hitters posted a .911 OPS vs. Tidwell in the minors.
After the game, Tidwell was optioned back to the minors. The Mets activated relief pitcher Dedniel Nunez for the second game.
Met Killer
Brendan Donovan continued his personal torment of the Mets with two more hits on Saturday, raising his career total to 25 knocks in just 22 games against the Amazins. The versatile Cardinals outfielder has seemingly turned every series against New York into his own highlight reel. With his latest performance, Donovan is now batting a robust .321 (25-for-78) in his young career against the Mets, with 14 runs scored and 9 RBIs to go along with countless groans from Flushing faithful.
Whether he's slapping singles the other way, working counts, or delivering in key spots—as he did with a clutch two-out, two-run single to snap a tie in the fourth—Donovan has become the latest in a long line of Cardinals who somehow save their best for Queens. He's not quite in Yadier Molina territory yet, but he's clearly on the Mets’ Most Wanted list.
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