Mets Defeat Cardinals 4-1, Vientos Hits First Home Run

Mark Vientos ended his early-season home run drought by hitting his first homer of the year, sparking a four-run second inning that helped the New York Mets defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 in the opener of a four-game series. Vientos’ homer was notable as it broke a 77 at-bat stretch without a home run, providing some validation after a slow start to the season. Mets pitcher Griffin Canning delivered his strongest performance of the season, allowing just one run over six innings with eight strikeouts, despite recovering from illness. Francisco Lindor and Brett Baty contributed RBI singles during the pivotal second inning, while Edwin Díaz closed out the win for his fourth save. On the Cardinals’ side, Brendan Donovan extended his hitting streak to 13 games, the longest active streak in the majors. The Mets’ victory came after a disappointing road series and marked an encouraging turnaround at Citi Field.