By BART HUBBUCH
Last updated: 7:08 am
July 4, 2008
Posted: 4:37 am
July 4, 2008
ST. LOUIS - The Mets rested cleanup hitter Carlos Beltran, littered their lineup with reserves and had their No. 5 starter on the mound last night.
So, naturally, they went out and blasted the team with the second-best record in the National League by an 11-1 count here at Busch Stadium.
Baseball, as the saying goes, is a funny game.
The Amazin's head into their four-game NL East showdown at the rival Phillies on a roll tonight after banging out double-digit hits against the Cardinals for the third night in a row.
Jose Reyes had a three-run triple, extending his major-league lead, and Carlos Delgado belted his fourth homer in the past eight games to lead the Mets' 10-hit outburst as they scored early and often against rookie St. Louis right-hander Mitchell Boggs.
Boggs began the day 3-0 but walked six, trailed 9-0 in the third and generally looked helpless while being left to twist for six innings because Tony La Russa wanted to protect his bullpen for a home series with the Cubs.
"We're keeping the line moving, and that's what it takes for this offense to be successful," said David Wright, who left in the sixth inning with very slight groin pull but is expected to play tonight. "It seems like everybody chipped in, and we kept rolling. That's when we're at our best.
All of the offense not only powered Jerry Manuel's club to a heartening split of this week's four-game set, but it also made Mike Pelfrey a winner for the fourth consecutive start.
Pelfrey (6-6) had the cushion of a three-run lead before he threw his first pitch. The big right-hander then refused to let a potent lineup get the Cardinals back in the game, handcuffing them with a sinking fastball and improved slider.
Pelfrey struck out six and walked two in seven innings, and - despite throwing 109 pitches - he could have stayed in longer if not for the Mets' lopsided lead. The Amazin's are 6-1 in Pelfrey's past seven starts.
"My confidence is high - probably the highest it's ever been at this level," Pelfrey said. "I don't feel like I have to be as perfect as I felt like I had to be in the past."
bhubbuch@nypost.com
