ST. LOUIS -- The Mets called up Chris Flexen before Saturday’s game hoping he could supply at least a short-term answer, after placing ace Jacob deGrom on the injured list.

After a 10-2 loss to the Cardinals, the Mets appear to still be looking for that answer.

deGrom’s absence has exposed a starting staff that was already struggling with him in the rotation. The Cardinals scored three times in the second and two more in the third against Flexen (0-1), who lasted just 4 1/3 innings and allowed six runs, five of which were earned.

“I got beat on a few pitches up; struggled putting guys away with two strikes,” Flexen said. “But all in all, I went out there and battled, stayed aggressive and attacked these guys.”

Entering the game, the Mets bullpen had already pitched 74 innings this season. After a four-inning outing by Jason Vargas on Friday and another short stint by Flexen, the Mets relievers have allowed seven runs in 8 2/3 innings in the first two games against the Cards. Control was an issue on Saturday, as Mets pitchers combined to walk seven Cardinals.

Flexen, along with Drew Gagnon and Corey Oswalt have all had opportunities recently to come up from the Minors to help the Mets, but none have seized the role. Manager Mickey Callaway announced after the game that Flexen was sent back down to Triple-A Syracuse and that left-hander Daniel Zamora was being called up.

“To be a championship team, to be a playoff-caliber team, usually somebody sitting down in Triple-A steps up and helps you out,” Callaway said. “We need someone to step up.”

Things got off on a sour note for the Mets in the bottom of the second. With runners on second and third and two out, Callaway elected to walk the No. 8 hitter Kolten Wong to get to the pitcher Miles Mikolas. The normally sound strategy backfired after Jose Martinez scored on a passed ball that got away from Wilson Ramos, and Mikolas followed with a two-run single up the middle to make it 3-0 Cardinals.

“I talked to Flex and I said, ‘Hey if we get the pitcher out, this game could be a whole different story,’” Callaway said. “That was a big blow to us.”

Mikolas takes pride in helping himself at the plate.

"I don’t know if disrespectful is the right word, but it’s the other team saying, ‘You stink. We’ll take our chances with you hitting.’ Which is pretty standard for most pitchers,” Mikolas said. “But as a pitching staff here, you’ve got a guy [Adam Wainwright] with a Silver Slugger a couple lockers down, so we take our hitting pretty serious."

Mikolas (2-1) shut down the Mets bats, allowing just two hits through his first six innings before giving up a pair of runs in the seventh, thanks to an RBI triple from Amed Rosario and an RBI groundout from J.D. Davis.

Alonso’s scare
Mets slugger Pete Alonso had x-rays taken of his right hand following the game, after taking a ball off it during his at-bat in the eighth. The X-rays were negative.

Alonso, who broke his left hand three times between the Minors and in college by getting hit by a ball in a similar fashion, was relieved.

“It caught me between these two knuckles [between the pinky and ring finger on his right hand] so it didn’t have direct bone contact,” Alonso said. “So again, perfect spot, caught some meat or some muscle in the hand instead of ball-on-bone contact, and typically that doesn’t end too well, so I’m really happy that I’m still healthy.”

Alonso had the hand in ice while talking to reporters. He’s optimistic about being able to play in the series finale on Sunday afternoon and doesn’t think any further tests are needed.

“My range of motion is completely fine,” Alonso said. “My strength is completely fine. Right now, I’m just icing it to reduce the swelling. If I had range of motion issues or strength problems then I would feel like those tests would probably be necessary, but based on kind of how it is -- it feels 100 percent -- just a bruise, just a little boo boo.”

Home plate umpire Paul Emmel ruled that Alonso actually fouled the pitch off instead of being hit by it. Alonso went on to fly out to right.