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Mets-Cardinals Preview

Apr 18, 2010 - 5:30 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

New York (3-7) at St. Louis (7-3), 8:05 p.m. EDT

A 19-game winner in 2009, St. Louis' Adam Wainwright could be headed for even more success this season.

The right-hander looks for his third straight win while trying to help the Cardinals bounce back from a 20-inning loss in the finale of a three-game set with the visiting New York Mets on Sunday night.

Wainwright was one of the few Cardinals who didn't play in Saturday's 2-1 loss, a game that lasted 6 hours, 53 minutes - the longest in the majors since Colorado beat San Diego 2-1 in 22 innings on April 17, 2008.

"The outcome was disappointing but the heart that the club showed was amazing," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "I give them a standing ovation."

The contest was scoreless through 18 innings before the teams each added a run the 19th. The Mets (4-7) scored both their runs on sacrifice flies off Joe Mather - the second Cardinals position player who was forced to pitch - to even the series.

"I thought it was never going to end," said New York's Mike Pelfrey, a starter who earned his first career save.

Starters Johan Santana for the Mets and St. Louis rookie Jaime Garcia were stellar Saturday, but after each club unloaded its bullpens, Wainwright and New York's John Maine will likely be needed to go deep in this one.

An NL Cy Young Award contender last season when he went 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA, Wainwright (2-0, 1.20 ERA) has carried that success over to 2010. He's allowed two runs and struck out 13 in 15 innings.

Wainwright gave up six hits and struck out seven in eight innings of a 5-0 home win over Houston on Monday.

"Early last year, he was still a learning pitcher," La Russa told the Cardinals' official website. "He's very smart and very dedicated to being not just as good, as great as he can be."

The Cardinals (7-4) are certainly grateful for Wainwright's success, and hope it continues when he makes his first start against New York.

Wainwright has allowed four runs in two innings of relief versus the Mets, but hasn't faced them since 2006. He recorded a pair of saves, including one in Game 7 against New York in the 2006 NL championship series.

Maine (0-1, 13.50), who was used as a pinch-runner in the 13th inning Saturday, hasn't fared nearly as well as Wainwright. The right-hander has given up 12 runs in eight innings over his two starts.

He allowed eight runs in three innings of an 11-3 loss at Colorado on Tuesday.

"It's hard. I'm doing my stuff in between starts," Maine said. "I'm doing the right things. I just can't put it together. ... This is awful right now."

Facing the Cardinals might not help him get back on track. Maine is 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA against St. Louis, and he's allowed 10 runs in 9 2-3 innings while losing his last two appearances at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis' Albert Pujols, who went 2 for 5 with four walks and scored on Yadier Molina's two-out single off Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez on Saturday, is 5 for 11 with two home runs and 11 RBIs against Maine.

Angel Pagan had three hits for New York on Saturday, while Jose Reyes, Jason Bay and Jeff Francoeur went a combined 0 for 21. Reyes, who drove in the winning run, is hitting .171, and Bay .222 this season.

Bay, however, is 6 for 17 versus Wainwright.