May 5—The Cardinals’ run of hitting a three-run homer in five consecutive games didn’t continue Tuesday night against the New York Mets. But, because they were rained out and a 4:15 doubleheader will be scheduled for Wednesday, the club will have a chance to run that to six or even seven.

No team in major league history has hit a three-run homer in six consecutive games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The last team to do it in five successive games was the 2000 San Francisco Giants from July 16-20. In order, the Cardinals’ three-run bombs have come from Matt Carpenter, Carpenter again, Paul DeJong, Harrison Bader and Nolan Arenado.

Arenado, who hit a threerun homer for the Cardinals in Monday’s 6-5 win, said the offense still hasn’t kicked into its highest gear yet even though the team has homered in six games in succession overall.

“One through nine, we’re all having quality at-bats,” said Arenado. “But I still think we’re a better offense than what we’re doing. I still feel like I haven’t gone the way I can. I know Goldy (Paul Goldschmidt) feels that way and Paulie (DeJong). I think we can be even better.”

Arenado became the first Cardinal to homer with runners on base in each of his first five homers to begin a Cardinals career since the divisional era began in 1969. Tuesday would have been Arenado’s first game off this season. Leadoff man Tommy Edman likewise has started all 29 games. Before Tuesday, Edman

Before Tuesday, Edman led major league switch-hitters in hits (35), batting average (.294) and times on base (46). He has reached base in 28 of 29 games, most by a Cardinals leadoff man since Ray Lankford reached base 28 times in the first 29 games in 1994. The Cardinals are 13-0 when Edman scores at least once.

“Tommy’s just done an unreal job for us,” said Arenado.

Kim, Oviedo in doubleheader

Lefthander Kwang Hyun Kim and righthander Johan Oviedo, added to the roster Tuesday when righthanded reliever Jordan Hicks went on the 10-day injured list, will start the doubleheader, with Kim going in the first game.

Ticketholders to Tuesday’s game will not be able to use those Wednesday. Fans who purchased tickets from the Cardinals can receive a credit that can be used later this season.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom, the two-time Cy Young Award winner who has a 0.51 earned run average and has fanned 59 in 35 innings, had been scratched from Tuesday’s game with right side tightness and won’t pitch on Wednesday, either. Righthander Marcus Stroman will start the first game with the Mets’ starter for the second game undecided. A seven-inning double

A seven-inning doubleheader will not be unusual for the Cardinals. Because of time lost when they were in quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, they played 11 twin bills out of 58 games. In those doubleheaders, the Cardinals won three, lost one and split seven.

Righthander Adam Wainwright, who, other than starting here Monday night, has been tending to his family for the past week after his wife and five children came down with the coronavirus, doesn’t necessarily have to be at the park when he’s not pitching, manager Mike Shildt said.

“He’s got a big family and he wants to take care of them and we support him in that,” said Shildt.

The night before, after Wainwright had overcome a ragged start to score his first win of the season despite basically having been at home and not at the park since the previous Tuesday, Shildt had said, “I’ve got a lot of respect for that guy.

“He was clear. There wasn’t any second-guessing about it. He said, ‘I’ve got to go home and be a good dad and a good husband and be strong for my family.’”