JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — After spending almost five years in the U.S. Navy, simply being on the mound at Roger Dean Stadium was exhilarating for St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Mitch Harris — even if the results were disappointing. Harris gave up a pair of two-run homers and took the loss as a New York Mets split squad beat the Cardinals 10-7 on Sunday. St. Louis played with a short-handed lineup. Third baseman David Freese was a late scratch after experiencing tightness in his back. Right fielder Carlos Beltran, battling a sore toe, went 1 for 5 in a minor league game.
Jon Jay was 3 for 3 with two RBIs for the Cardinals. Jamie Hoffmann and Zach Lutz each hit a two-run homer off Harris, selected by the Cardinals out of the Naval Academy in the 13th round of the 2008 draft. He had been unable to play for the organization because of his military service obligation.