MLB ROUNDUP Monday’s games

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Mets 6, Cardinals 4

NEW YORK — No matter how many All-Stars get injured, the New York Mets plan to stick around in the pennant race. Tim Redding pitched into the eighth inning for his first win with the Mets and substitute setup man Brian Stokes got Albert Pujols to ground into a crucial double play. Daniel Murphy homered and Omir Santos went 4 for 4 in an uplifting victory for the Mets, hours after they received another dose of disheartening news. Star center fielder Carlos Beltran went on the 15-day disabled list with a bone bruise on his right knee, a huge blow to a team already decimated by key injuries. “It’s got to be huge to know we can compete after losing a huge player like Carlos,” Stokes said. Before the game, New York manager Jerry Manuel said he would keep a close eye on the spirit of his squad, also missing shortstop Jose Reyes, first baseman Carlos Delgado and three important pitchers. But the Mets’ makeshift lineup responded with 14 hits and the pitching staff held a streaking Pujols in check. Alex Cora had a pair of RBI singles and Luis Castillo went 3 for 3 with an RBI double and a walk. Santos set a career high for hits, including a run-scoring single. “It takes more than five superstars to win,” Cora said.

A difficult day almost got even worse for the Mets. Reyes and trainer Ray Ramirez were rear-ended by a fire truck on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge en route to the hospital for a checkup. Nobody was hurt, team spokesman Jay Horwitz said. “It was a whirlwind day,” Redding said. “I told myself we had to get off to a good start, show we’re not just going to lay down.”

Braves 2, Cubs 0

ATLANTA — Javier Vazquez and three Atlanta relievers combined to shut out the Cubs. In a makeup game caused by a June 4 rainout, the Braves won a series for the first time since completing a three-game sweep of Toronto on May 24. The Braves had gone 0-5-3 in their last eight series. Atlanta and Chicago split the first two games of the original series June 2-3. Atlanta, which snapped a two-game slide, ended the Cubs’ four-game winning streak. Vazquez (5-6) gave up nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts. The right-hander’s victory snapped a five-start streak in which he went 0-3 despite a 3.44 ERA. Rafael Soriano, who gave up a single and a walk, struck out the side for his sixth save in seven chances. Chipper Jones’ sacrifice fly in the seventh inning chased Ryan Dempster (4-5).

Associated Press