Carlos Carrasco struggles as Mets drop clunker to Cardinals

ST. LOUIS — It took until Game 20 of the season for the Mets to turn in a clunker.

Carlos Carrasco yielded the team’s worst starting pitching performance of the season, the offense stalled after one breakout inning and the base running was suspect. Those forces conspired Wednesday to end the Mets’ winning streak at three with a 10-5 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

The runs allowed were the most this season by the Mets, whose previous high was six in a victory over the Phillies on April 13.

Carrasco endured bad luck, but also wasn’t sharp. Overall he allowed eight runs, seven earned, on eight hits over 3 ²/₃ innings. The outing was by far his shortest and worst of the season.

“It was one of those days,” Carrasco said.

The Mets won four of six games on the road trip and are headed back to Citi Field for the Phillies and Braves.

The Cardinals took control in a fourth inning in which they sent nine batters to the plate and scored five runs. Tommy Edman stroked an RBI double to tie it 4-4 and after Nolan Arenado had been issued a two-out intentional walk to load the bases Carrasco unleashed a wild pitch. Corey Dickerson followed with a swinging bunt single that gave the Cardinals a 6-4 lead and ended Carrasco’s afternoon. Dylan Carlson’s double against Sean Reid-Foley accounted for the final two runs charged to Carrasco. Yadier Molina doubled to begin the inning and Edmundo Sosa got hit by a pitch.

“[Carrasco] went through some periods where he was pretty crisp and he made some good pitches,” manager Buck Showalter said. “It’s so hard to sweep a team on the road, especially somebody as good as the Cardinals. Sometimes it’s just timing a bit on his part. It was just a matter of time before they broke out a little bit. Carlos has been throwing the ball well. He’s healthy and he feels good, and today was one of those you just put behind you and move on to the next one.”

Steven Matz sputtered for the Cardinals, allowing four earned runs on six hits and two walks over four innings. The left-hander was facing the Mets for the first time since spurning their offseason offer to return. Matz took a four-year deal with the Cardinals worth $44 million, prompting owner Steve Cohen to rip the pitcher’s agent on Twitter for “unprofessional” behavior.

Trailing 8-4, the Mets had an inning to forget on the bases in the sixth. Mark Canha got thrown out trying to stretch a leadoff single into a double, and Luis Guillorme ended the inning thrown out at third base attempting a triple on a ball hit over Carlson’s head in center field. Carlson unleashed a highlight reel throw to nail Guillorme.