Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

After the day started with concern over Max Scherzer‘s health, the Mets took the field on Thursday afternoon looking to take three-of-four games from Carindals. Chris Bassitt took the mound for the Mets against Dakota Hudson for St. Louis.

The Mets pulled out the win 7-6 in 10 innings on a monster walk-off two-run home run from Pete Alonso.

The Mets’ offense got off to a fast start for the second straight day on Thursday.

Brandon Nimmo singled to lead off the game and moved to third on a ground out followed by a wild pitch. After Francisco Lindor walked to put runners on the corners, Alonso gave the Mets an early lead with an RBI single to right field. Lindor created a second run by leading a double steal and scoring on a Jeff McNeil ground ball to shortstop Brendan Donovan.

The Cardinals got themselves right back in the game the next inning. Juan Yepez hit a long home run to lead off the second inning and cut the Mets’ lead in half. The Cardinals nearly tied the game when Andrew Knizner blooped a ball into shallow centerfield that Nimmo would not have gotten to, but Lindor made a terrific over-the-shoulder catch to prevent the tying run from scoring.

Bassitt was able to escape the second inning with the lead intact, but after good start to the third inning, one mistake pitch hurt him. With two outs in the inning, Bassitt left an 0-2 slider over the plate that Paul Goldschmidt hit deep into the left field seats to tie the game.

The game remained tied until the fifth inning when Goldschmidt came up again. With a runner on second base, Goldschmidt took a ball in the other batter’s box down the right-field line for an RBI double to give St. Louis the lead and raise his May batting average to .361.

Like they have all season, the Mets responded instantly. Luis Guillorme got the inning started with a double, and after Tomas Nido bunted him over, he beat Albert Pujols‘ throw home on a Nimmo groundout to tie the game. Then with two outs and nobody on, the Mets put together a two-out rally to take the lead. Mark Canha and Lindor hit back-to-back singles before Alonso walked to load the bases. Like he has all season, McNeil came through with a clutch two-run single on a line drive up the middle that fell just in front of a diving Harrison Bader.

After Goldschmidt knocked in another run with a sacrifice fly off Drew Smith in the eighth inning,  Edwin Diaz came in for the ninth looking to close out the game. The Cardinals’ team approach of speed and contact helped them get back in the game.

Bader started the inning with a swinging-bunt infield single. He stole second and moved to third on a Yadier Molina ground out. After Tommy Edman struck out and Donovan walked, Goldschmidt came up again with the game on the line and two outs. He tied the game on the second infield single of the inning when Escobar misplayed his weak ground ball. He ended the game with four RBIs.

In the top of the tenth, the Cardinals were able to cash in their free runner but did not get anything else off of Colin Holderman, who earned his first MLB win. The Mets sent Alonso up to lead off in the bottom half of the inning and he wasted no time ending the game. Alonso hit Giovanny Gallegos‘ second pitch of the day into the second deck to win it for the Mets.

Player of the Game: Pete Alonso

There were a few Mets that had games worthy of being named player of the game, but a walk-off home run with the team trailing is an easy way to get the edge for Alonso.

Alonso finished the day 3-for-4 with three RBIs. He is up to a .309/.397/.618 slash line in May with six home runs, and his 36 RBIs are the most in baseball.

On Deck

The Mets will begin a western road trip on Friday when they start a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET.

Carlos Carrasco (3-1, 3.73 ERA) will be on the mound for the Mets against German Marquez (1-3, 6.16 ERA) for the Rockies. Carrasco is coming off a rough outing that saw him allow four runs on eight hits in just 4 1/3 innings against the Mariners. Marquez got his first win of the season in his last outing, throwing six innings allowing three runs on three hits against the Royals at Coors Field.

The game will be televised on SNY, and the radio call will be on WCBS 880. Bad weather is expected in Denver for Friday and Saturday, so we’ll see if the games can still be played.