Cardinals Beat Mets, Andres Torres Misses Base in 9th

After his brilliant first start, there was bound to be a letdown in Collin McHugh’s second outing. Indeed there was, taking the loss against the Cardinals in a Labor Day matinee. A possible ninth inning comeback was thwarted when Andres Torres missed a base.

The Cards jumped out to the lead in the first when Jon Jay led off with a triple and scored on a ground out.

Opposing pitcher Joe Kelly led off the third inning with a double, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly. Three straight two-out singles plated another run to make it 3-0.

Skip Schumaker led off the fourth with his first home run of the season to make it 4-0.

McHugh was lifted after just four innings, allowing the four runs on six hits with two strikeouts.

Kelly Shoppach finally got the Mets on the board in the seventh — with two outs and a man on Shoppach hit a moon shot over the wall in left to cut the Cardinals lead to 4-2. Torres followed with a triple that chased Kelly from the game. Pinch hitter Justin Turner, though, grounded out to end the inning.

The Cardinals got one of the runs back in the bottom of the seventh to make it 5-2.

It turned out to be a big run. Ruben Tejada led off the eighth with a single, and Daniel Murphy followed with a home run just over the wall in right to make it 5-4. With one out Ike Davis walked and Jason Bay delivered with his first pinch hit of the season to put runners on first and second. Closer Jason Motte was summoned into the game. Scott Hairston lined out to the shortstop for the second out and Shoppach struck out.

To the ninth — Andres Torres took a huge chance leading off the inning, attempting to extend a single to right into a double. He was safe with the potential tying run at second. However, the Cardinals appealed at first, saying Torres missed the base. And he was called out!! Replays were inconclusive as to whether Torres’s heal hit the bag, but he didn’t argue the call. Just inexcusable. Pinch hitter Ronny Cedeno struck out for the second out. Tejada walked but Murphy flew out to end the game.

Mets lose 5-4. Damn you Andres Torres!