Carson Benge Was Hitting .189 in April, and That's Not Even the Wildest Mets Story Right Now

Dude, you gotta hear about what's going down with the New York Mets. Remember how rough April was for them? A 12-game losing streak, rookie Carson Benge barely hitting above the Mendoza Line? Well, forget all that. This squad just flipped the script harder than a Cal Raleigh walk-off, and Benge is leading the charge, looking like a totally different player. They just finished a grueling four West Coast trips in the first two months, and get this: they won seven of their last ten, slicing two games off their wild-card deficit, and are now five games out of that final wild-card spot. On top of that, they're starting a STRETCH of 35 straight games where they don't leave the Eastern time zone. Thirty-five games, baby! This could be huge for them.

Benge is Balling, Mets Are Rolling

Seriously, what a turnaround. Carson Benge, that kid who was hitting a measly .189 back in April? He just went off for a perfect 5-for-5 day, scoring three runs in their 7-3 win against San Diego, helping them split that last West Coast trip. His manager, Carlos Mendoza, isn't even surprised. Mendoza said they "seen the type of player and the talent and a lot of the things he can do on the baseball field. He's finally settling, he's comfortable, he's playing his game, and we're going to see a lot of games like that when he's locked in." And it shows, man. Benge is rocking a .316 average now (42-for-133), with five bombs and 20 RBIs over his past 34 games. That's the kind of production that can truly spark a team, especially after that brutal April.

Cardinals Keep Grinding with Comeback Wins

Meanwhile, over in St. Louis, the Cardinals are just being the Cardinals, you know? Consistent, gritty, never say die. They're still five games out of first in the National League Central and chasing their fifth straight win when they roll into New York on Tuesday. These guys are unfazed by deficits, racking up their 19th comeback victory when they beat Cincinnati 5-3 on Sunday. Imagine this: Victor Scott II and Ivan Herrera drove in runs in the eighth inning on balls that didn't even leave the infield, scoring on errors. That's just classic Cardinals, making things happen no matter what. Manager Oliver Marmol puts it best, saying, "We continue to do a nice job of just staying focused. That's a big part of this." He knows his guys "continue to stay focused on what's right in front of them and have done a nice job of coming back often." Plus, Jordan Walker is on fire, with four straight multi-hit games and a ridiculous .478 average (11-for-23) over his last five.

Pitching Matchup: Our M's Saw Peralta

Alright, let's talk arms. Dustin May is kicking off the series for St. Louis. He's sitting at 3-6 with a 4.59 ERA, and it's been a tough stretch lately, going 0-4 with a 3.86 ERA in his past seven starts. Though he's pitched at least six innings in five of those, he had a no-decision last Tuesday, giving up three runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings against Texas. He actually didn't face the Mets back in March when the Cards took two of three, and his career numbers against New York aren't stellar: three no-decisions and a 4.97 ERA in three appearances. For the Mets, Freddy Peralta (4-4, 3.63 ERA) takes the mound. He's been solid, going 3-1 with a 3.40 ERA in his last seven starts. Here's a fun fact for us Seattle faithful: Peralta actually pitched against our Mariners on Wednesday, allowing just one run on six hits over six innings in a 7-1 Mets win at T-Mobile Park! That's after he got roughed up for 11 runs over his previous three outings, so he's locked in. Peralta's career record against the Cardinals is 5-6 with a 4.50 ERA in 21 appearances. It's going to be a battle on Tuesday night, with both teams fighting to keep their early-season momentum going. You know we'll be watching to see how these stories unfold!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.