ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — In a crisp pitchers’ duel that defied pregame projections, the St. Louis Cardinals relied on a dominant start from Andre Pallante and timely hitting to blank the New York Mets 3-0 on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium.

A crowd of 22,823 watched as the Cardinals evened the early-season series and their record at 3-2, matching the Mets’ mark. The game, completed in a brisk 2 hours and 21 minutes, stood in stark contrast to the offensive outburst predicted by statistical models, which had forecast a high-scoring affair favoring New York.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the bottom of the third inning, breaking a scoreless tie and providing all the offense St. Louis would ultimately need. It was catalyzed by the top of the Cardinals’ order. Speedy center fielder Victor Scott II led off with a sharp line-drive double to center. Rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt followed by slicing a single to center, moving Scott to third. With runners on the corners and no outs, catcher Iván Herrera delivered the decisive blow, lashing a double down the left-field line. Both Scott and Wetherholt raced home, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead and shifting the entire pressure onto a Mets lineup that was struggling to solve Pallante.

Pallante, the winning pitcher, was the star of the night. He expertly navigated five scoreless innings, scattering three hits and striking out three. His performance set the tone, stifling a potent Mets lineup that entered the game as a betting favorite. He improved to 1-0.

Mets starter Kodai Senga, who took the loss to fall to 0-1, was sharp in his own right but was outdueled. Over six innings, he allowed two earned runs on four hits, but his most impressive feat was a nine-strikeout performance. He fanned the side in the second inning and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth. However, the three-batter stretch to Scott, Wetherholt and Herrera in the third proved his undoing.

The Cardinals added an insurance run in the seventh against Mets reliever Richard Lovelady. Third baseman Ramón Urías led off the inning by launching a solo home run to center field, his first of the season, to extend the lead to 3-0.

New York’s offense, which had averaged over five runs per game in its first four contests, was silenced by a committee of St. Louis pitchers. After Pallante departed, Gordon Graceffo, JoJo Romero and Ryne Stanek each contributed a perfect inning of relief, bridging the game to closer Riley O’Brien. O’Brien worked a 1-2-3 ninth to secure his first save of the year.

The Mets managed only three hits total, with Juan Soto’s double in the sixth inning representing their best scoring chance. That opportunity was snuffed out when Jared Young lined into an inning-ending double play. New York never advanced a runner past second base.

For St. Louis, Scott finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Herrera’s two-run double stood as the game’s biggest hit.

The result leveled the four-game series at one win apiece. The Mets had taken the opener 4-2 on Monday. Both teams will meet again Wednesday in the series rubber match before embarking on lengthy road trips.

According to Interstat, the Mets had been projected with a 53.7% probability to win and were installed as 1.5-run favorites. The total of three runs fell dramatically under the over/under line of 8.5.