St. Louis @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 16, 2013 ) NY Mets 5, St. Louis 2

As if things weren’t bad enough for the New York Mets, now they have to deal with the best team in the National League when the St. Louis Cardinals visit to open a three-game series on Tuesday. The Mets suffered the embarrassment of dropping two straight games in extra innings to the major-league worst Miami Marlins over the weekend and have lost six of their last seven. The Cardinals exploded for seven runs in the 10th inning on Sunday to take two of three at Cincinnati.

The Mets played a total of 30 innings on Saturday and Sunday against the Marlins but should be well rested after rainouts on Thursday and Friday and a scheduled off day on Monday. New York decided to shake up the roster after Sunday’s 8-4 loss in 10 innings and optioned first baseman Ike Davis, outfielder Mike Baxter and reliever Robert Carson to Triple-A Las Vegas. The new roster will have to take on a St. Louis offense that has scored 32 runs in its last three wins.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (0-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jeremy Hefner (1-5, 4.36)

Wacha made a stellar major-league debut by allowing one run and two hits in seven innings on May 30 but had some trouble following that up. The 21-year-old was reached for six runs on 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Wacha will be making his first career road start on Tuesday.

Hefner put together one of his best starts by yielding one run on four hits in seven innings at Washington last Tuesday but did not factor in the decision. New York has suffered the loss in 11 of the right-hander’s 12 appearances, though the offense has only managed more than three runs in four of those games. Hefner issued a season-high four walks at St. Louis on May 13 but limited the damage to three runs in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Mets will recall INF Josh Satin, OF Collin Cowgill and LHP Josh Edgin to fill the roster out on Tuesday.

2. Cardinals C Yadier Molina has recorded multiple hits in five of the last six games.

3. St. Louis took three of four from New York at home from May 13-16.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Mets 2