The New York Mets defeated the St. Louis Cardinals by a score of 8-7 this afternoon at Roger Dean Stadium. Matt Harvey turned in another impressive start, while the Mets offense was lifted by a pair of key home runs.

Pitching

Matt Harvey made the start this afternoon for the Mets. Harvey started strong as he struck out both Tommy Pham and Dexter Fowler on sliders to open up the game.

After a clean second, Harvey ran into some trouble from a Fowler two out triple in the third. However, he was able to get out of the inning on a ground out from Pham.

The Cardinals again threatened in the fourth. Marcell Ozuna doubled to right and advanced to third on a Jose Martinez single. However, Harvey was able to roll a 5-4-3 double play, again escaping danger.

Paul DeJong led off the fifth with a solo home run to center, for the Cardinals only run against Harvey. He struck out Pham to escape the frame and rebound from the long ball.

Harvey came back out for the sixth, but was pulled after one batter. He threw a total of 90 pitches over 5.1 innings, and allowed one run on five hits, a walk and five strike outs.

Paul Sewald was the first man out of the bullpen, and he was roughed up. The right-hander allowed the first three batters he faced to reach. Ozuna singled and Martinez walked, before Luke Voit drove them both home, giving the Cardinals a then 3-2 lead.

Voit then increased the lead to 4-2, as he scored on a DeJong sacrifice fly.

Jacob Rhame pitched a clean seventh, but Rafael Montero allowed two runs (one earned) in just a third of an inning before Hansel Robles took over. Robles finished off the game for New York despite putting a pair of runners on in the ninth.

Offense

Asdrubal Cabrera was scratched from the lineup due to a dental appointment. He was replaced at second by Jose Reyes.

Yoenis Cespedes returned to the Mets lineup for the second straight day. He went 0-1 with a pair of walks.

Amed Rosario picked up the Mets first hit of the game with an infield single in the third. After Rosario advanced to second on a Harvey ground out, Brandon Nimmo drove in the first run of the game with a bloop single to left.

In the sixth, Adrian Gonzalez gave the Mets a 2-1 lead at the time, with his first home run of the spring.

In the seventh Wilmer Flores picked up Sewald, launching a two-run home run to left, tying the game back up at four.From then on, the Mets offense exploded.

Travis d’Arnaud chipped in a long ball of his own, while Rosario drove in a run with a triple in the eighth. His triple would actually be the deciding factor as the Mets held on to win 8-7.

On deck

The Mets are off on Wednesday, but return to First Data Field on Thursday to take on the Washington Nationals at 6:10 p.m. Zack Wheeler will be on the mound as he looks to bounce back from his rough outing against Washington last week.