MLB: New ork. Mets 3, St. Louis 2

Santana (9-5), making his second straight solid start, walked three batters and fanned three on 110 pitches.

Closer Francisco Rodriguez, the last of three pitchers, earned his 20th save despite walking two in the top of the ninth.

New York's biggest hit was a two-run fourth-inning double by Nick Evans after an RBI single by Fernando Tatis. The Mets won three times in the four-game series against the NL Central leaders.

Yadier Molina led St. Louis with two hits and one RBI. Joe Thurston had one RBI for the Cardinals, who had won five of six entering the series.

Losing pitcher Chris Carpenter (5-2) gave up three earned runs and four hits in seven innings with no walks and five strikeouts.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.