Alonso and Nimmo homer, Mets beat Cardinals 9-3 for ninth straight win over St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo homered and the New York Mets beat St. Louis 9-3 on Friday night to avoid their first three-game losing streak this season and win their ninth straight game against the Cardinals.

Francisco Alvarez added three singles and three RBIs to back Clay Holmes (4-1), and New York got its first win over Sonny Gray (3-1), who had been 4-0 against the Mets.

Alonso put the Mets ahead 4-3 with his eighth homer, a two-run drive on an 0-2 changeup he drove 417 feet into the center-field bleachers.

Nimmo homered leading off the seventh against John King, his seventh home run, and the Mets finished with 17 hits for their second-highest total this season.

New York swept a four-game series from the Cardinals at home last month. The Mets’ previous best streak against the Cardinals was an eight-game run in 1986.

Holmes allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings. He was struck on the right ankle by Alec Burleson's comebacker in the second inning.

Gray gave up five runs - four earned - nine hits and three walks in a season-low 4 1/3 innings.

Masyn Winn had three hits, an RBI. He scored on Willson Contreras' third-inning single to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead. Holmes retired his next eight batters.

Contreras couldn't handle the relay throw for a potential inning-ending double play in the fifth, and Nimmo sped home on the first baseman’s error when the ball rolled away. Alvarez followed with an RBI single for a 6-3 lead.

Alonso has 13 homers in 135 at-bats against St. Louis. His average of one per 10.4 at-bats is the second-highest among players with 100 or more at-bats vs. the Cardinals behind 5.6 for Hall of Famer Jim Thome.

Mets RHP Tylor Megill (3-2, 1.74 ERA), who hasn't allowed an earned run in his last two starts, starts Saturday against Cardinals RHP Erick Fedde (1-3, 4.68).