ST. LOUIS -- For the second night in a row at Busch Stadium, a Cardinal starter pitched into the sixth inning but saw his outing screech to a halt before he could record an out in the frame.
Andre Pallante cruised through five innings before the heart of the Mets’ order started to get to him in the sixth. Juan Soto doubled over Jordan Walker’s head in right field and Bo Bichette drew a walk as Pallante’s command rapidly began to deteriorate.
With ball four to Bichette missing by a healthy margin, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol didn’t wait around. On the same day as his recall from Triple-A Memphis, reliever Gordon Graceffo was thrown into the fire.
Fortunately for Graceffo -- and for Pallante’s pitching line -- Masyn Winn brought a hose.
Graceffo got Luis Robert Jr. to fly out to center before Winn kick-started an inning-ending double play, corralling a soft Jared Young liner and blistering an 89.8 mph projectile to Alec Burleson to double Bichette off first base, ending the Mets’ most significant threat of the night as the Cardinals went on to win, 3-0.
Somehow, the throw still fell slightly below Winn’s average on max effort throws from last season (90.7 mph), speaking to the sheer arm strength of the Gold Glove shortstop.
The double play secured a scoreless outing for Pallante, who navigated the New York lineup capably, scattering three hits and three walks -- with a little help from his friends in the sixth.