Rough fifth inning costs Cardinals in 7-5 loss to Mets

Tyler O’Neill went 3 for 3 and José Rondón had three RBIs, but a rough fifth inning cost the St. Louis Cardinals in a 7-5 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday.

O’Neill continued to build his case for an everyday starting role this season, collecting a double and two singles to increase his spring batting average to .476. He also scored two runs. Rondón, a non-roster invitee who is battling for a spot on the Opening Day roster, put the Cardinals on the board with a two-run single in the first and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the third.

Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks began the fifth inning, making his first appearance in a game — including spring training and the regular season — since June 2019. He lasted just one batter, getting into a 22-pitch battle with Mets infielder Luis Guillorme that resulted in a leadoff walk. Hicks walked off alongside a trainer, though that appeared to be a procedural move so the Cardinals could get around the three-batter minimum rule after the umpires initially wouldn’t allow manager Mike Shildt to make a pitching change.

Left-hander Garrett Williams replaced Hicks and struggled mightily, hitting back-to-back Mets batters, Caleb Joseph and Brandon Nimmo, before issuing a bases-loaded walk to Francisco Lindor. Lefty Evan Kruczynski then was pressed into a no-out, bases-loaded jam and gave up a one-run single to Michael Conforto and a two-run base hit to Pete Alonso. He hit Khalil Lee with a pitch before getting J.D. Davis to hit into a double play and inducing a James McCann groundout to end the fifth. The Mets ended up with seven baserunners and five runs in the inning.

Matt Carpenter doubled and drove in O’Neill in the fifth for his first hit of the spring, snapping an 0-for-16 hitless streak. Justin Toerner put another run on the board for the Cards in the ninth, driving in Evan Mendoza with a sacrifice fly. Yadier Molina also had two singles and scored two runs in three at-bats.

Cardinals starter Carlos Martínez was solid in a 56-pitch outing, allowing two earned runs on five hits and a walk while striking out three over four innings. Tommy Parsons threw two scoreless frames, and Jake Woodford was perfect in the eighth.

The Cardinals host the Nationals on Monday afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. You can catch the action at 12:00 p.m. CT on FOX Sports Midwest.