NEW YORK -- His first appearance on the mound in Queens since throwing the pennant-winning curveball did not have the same intensity -- nor close to the same result -- for Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright.

The Mets tagged him for a season-high six runs in five innings in their 8-2 win. Jeff Francoeur hit a decisive three-run homer of Wainwright in the fourth inning that helped pave the way for Wainwright's swift exit from his 22nd start of the season.

Wainwright completed just five innings. He allowed the six runs (all of them earned) on six hits. He walked three and struck out six.

Carlos Beltran, the Met Wainwright struck out to end the 2006 NLCS when last the righty threw a pitch at the Mets' home, went 2-for-2 with a walk against Wainwright this time. Beltran had the RBI single in the fifth inning that scored the sixth run and ostensibly chased Wainwright from the game.

The Mets expanded their lead in the sixth inning off reliever Fernando Salas. Jose Reyes hit a two-run shot into the Tiger Stadium homage in right field to give the Mets' a seven run lead.

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WAINWRIGHT'S STREAK STOPS AT 26

NEW YORK -- Two scoreless streaks came to an end on the same groundout Tuesday night in the second inning. Rookie Ike Davis hit an RBI groundout to second base that allowed David Wright to score and give the Mets a 1-0 lead on Adam Wainwright.

Wainwright's career-best scoreless streak ended at 26 innings. It dated back to July 4 and spanned four starts.

The Mets had not scored in 16 innings before Wright crossed home.

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MOZELIAK NOT LOOKING FOR BAND-AID

NEW YORK -- GM Mozeliak said the team isn't fishing for a short-term fix for the infield via trade and that if the goal was to find a suitable fill-in while third baseman David Freese mended then they already missed the window that would have made that appropriate.

"So we're not looking at some short-term band-aid here," Mozeliak said. "If we were going to go down that route, we should had done it, in hindsight, a month ago."

Mozeliak also added that a "depth starting pitcher" also has an appeal. He didn't disclose any names but Cleveland pitcher Jake Westbrook would fill that description.

Asked if trading within the division was a hassle, and even a roadblock to some of the deals that could be had this season (i.e., pitchers like Roy Oswalt and Ted Lilly), Mozeliak said:

"Historically we haven't had a lot of success going there. There's reason for that. I think maybe in the offseason you'll have more luck. In the season, people are still playing each other and it seems tougher to do. It's not impossible, but it does seem trickier."

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CARDS NEAR DEAL WITH SUPPLEMENTAL PICK

NEW YORK -- The Cardinals are close to finalizing a deal with 1st supplement-round pick Seth Blair, a starting pitcher out of Arizona State. A Cardinals official confirmed that Blair that minor contract deals are all that need to be completed before Blair will report to his minor-league assignment. The Cardinals selected Blair with the 46th overall pick. The righty went 12-1 with a 3.64 ERA at Arizona State this past season.

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RASMUS SEARCHING AS JAY PLAYS

NEW YORK -- Manager Tony La Russa said there's little more to Colby Rasmus' ongoing funk than a young player learning, and that it's still important to get Rasmus playing time even while Jon Jay has made it impossible to ignore his production.

"The way he's going now, wherever you put him, he's been a plus," La Russa said of starting Jay in center and batting him No. 2. "He's still earning his stripes. I don't want to make any claims about playing time. We're in a stretch ... where the guys who give the best chance (play)."

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MO TALKS LOHSE AND TRADE DEADLINE

NEW YORK -- General manager John Mozeliak said the news about Lohse's rehab start and potential return to the rotation does not alter the team's shopping list before Saturday's non-waiver trade deadline.

"I don't necessarily think it has a lot of impact on how we look at the trading deadline," Mozeliak said. "We're still looking at a lot of different options out there that we think can maybe help the club. But understanding when you think about those options that doesn't necessarily mean we can get a deal done.

"Just trying to make sure that we explore a lot of things and exhaust a lot of things," Mozeliak said. "Having Mr. Lohse be the linchpin in any of that would not be a fair way to characterize."

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MANUEL SUSPENDED FOR TONIGHT'S GAME

NEW YORK -- Here is the announcement from MLB about Jerry Manuel not serving as Mets' manager tonight while he serves a suspension:

New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel has been suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount for his inappropriate conduct following the final out of the top of the second inning of his Club's
Friday, July 23rd game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Bob Watson, Vice President of On-Field Operations for Major League Baseball, made the announcement.

Manuel is scheduled to serve his suspension during his Club's game tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field in New York.

LOHSE SET FOR TWO MORE STARTS

NEW YORK -- Kyle Lohse is targeted to return to the minors for a second rehab start Saturday, and pitching coach Dave Duncan said the target is 60 pitches -- but that Lohse should burst through that limit if he feels capable.

Duncan said he just wants the pitcher to get to where he's comfortable and throw as long as he's strong.

But that doesn't mean his return to the majors will be any hastier.

Multiple Cardinals officials confirmed that the plan is to give Lohse two more rehab starts before slotting him into the major-league rotation.

"I need to make sure I'm ready," Lohse said this afternoon after joining the team at Citi Field. "I'm not going to rush it."

He called pitching with his surgically repaired right forearm "like a new test drive."

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CARDINALS LINEUP

NEW YORK -- For the third game in a row, rookie Jon Jay gets the start tonight in center field over Colby Rasmus, who is in a 1-for-22 slide.

Jay is batting .387 overall for 93 at-bats, and is hitting .393 on the road and .444 at night. He has only 10 at-bats (with five hits) vs. lefties and will be facing one tonight in Jonathon Niese, who is 6-4 with a 3.54 ERA in 17 starts for the Mets.

Rasmus is batting .266 overall but has been most productive on the road, hitting .324 with nine homers in away games. He hasn't homered in a month (June 27 at Kansas City).

Aaron Miles, who is batting .421 vs. lefties, gets the start at second base over Skip Schumaker. The Cards' lineup:

1. Lopez, 3B

2. Jay, CF

3. Pujols, 1B

4. Holliday, LF

5. Ludwick, RF

6. Molina, C

7. Ryan, SS

8. Wainwright, P

9. Miles, 2B

 

Mets' lineup:

1. Reyes SS

2. Castillo 2B

3. Pagan LF

4. Wright 3B

5. Beltran CF

6. Davis 1B

7. Francoeur RF

8. Thole C

9. Niese P