Chris Bassitt pitched six strong innings, and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 Tuesday night for their franchise-best sixth straight series win to start a season.

Bassitt (3-1) struck out six batters and allowed two hits and two walks. Drew Smith and Adam Ottavino combined to pitch two innings of scoreless relief before Edwin Diaz pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save in four opportunities.

Cardinals starter Jordan Hicks hit Dominic Smith in the second and Pete Alonso was hit in the helmet by Kodi Whitley in the eighth inning, after which benches and bullpens started to clear. Both benches were warned, and tensions quickly fizzled down. Then Starling Marte was plunked by Aaron Brooks with the bases loaded in the ninth, leading to the final score.

Hicks (1-2) allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in two innings before being pulled in the top of the third inning after being struck on the right wrist by a Dominic Smith line drive in the second.

Jeff McNeil doubled to right field to leadoff the third and scored on James McCann's ensuing double to the center field wall to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Marte greeted rookie relief pitcher Andre Pallante with a single down the left-field line to drive in McCann and put the Mets up 2-0.

The Cardinals have lost three straight for the first time this season.

Carlos Carrasco (1-0, 1.58 ERA) takes the mound for the Mets in Wednesday's series finale; he is 0-1 with a 2.84 ERA in two career starts against St. Louis.

The Cardinals will start LHP Steven Matz (2-1, 5.27 ERA) in his second career start against his former team.