Griffin Canning tossed six solid innings and combined with three relievers on a three-hitter for the host New York Mets, who defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.

Mets third baseman Mark Vientos hadn’t hit a home run all season. Then, leading off the second inning in the Mets’ 4-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, the slugging third baseman hit an inside fastball that kept carrying down the right field line before it finally bounced off the foul pole,