ST. LOUIS -- The New York Mets sent a starting pitcher with a gimpy left knee to the mound on Tuesday, in the opener of a must-win series.
Sure enough, Jonathon Niese ended up walking off with an escort from trainer Ray Ramirez after retiring only one of the game's opening four batters and experiencing pain in the knee.
Still, the Mets managed to earn a potentially season-defining 7-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium to remain relevant in the National League wild-card race.
Rookies Robert Gsellman and Josh Smoker combined to log 5 2/3 relief innings, and Gsellman was credited with the win in his major league debut, as the Mets moved within 3 1/2 games of St.