NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Adams hit a long three-run homer, Jason Heyward also connected and the St. Louis Cardinals enjoyed their second consecutive offensive outburst, roughing up Bartolo Colon in a 9-0 rout of the New York Mets on Wednesday night. Matt Holliday and Kolten Wong both had three hits to back Carlos Martinez (4-2), who pitched 6 1-3 innings of four-hit ball in ending his two-game skid. Following a 10-2 victory Tuesday night, the Cardinals improved the best record in the majors to 27-13.

Pitching four days before his 42nd birthday, Colon (6-3) finally began to show his age. Trying again to become baseball’s first seven-game winner, he was hit hard all game and even walked two batters — one more than he had all season. And coupled with Washington’s victory over the New York Yankees, the Mets’ loss dropped them out of first place in the NL East for the first time since April 14.