The New York Mets' hit-by-pitch frustrations boiled over Wednesday when reliever Yoan Lopez threw a pitch near Nolan Arenado's head, sparking a benches-clearing brawl that led to Arenado's ejection in the St. Louis Cardinals' 10-5 victory.

Mets hitter J.D. Davis left in the top of the eighth inning after being hit in the left foot by a pitch from Genesis Cabrera, the major league-leading 19th hit-by-pitch for the Mets this season - including three Tuesday night against St. Louis.

New York appeared to retaliate a half-inning later against Arenado, who reached four times and drove in three runs. Lopez zipped a 94 mph fastball near his head, and Arenado began yelling for Lopez to ''do it again.'' The benches and bullpens cleared, and the teams pushed and shoved near home plate.

The Mets have been furious by a spate of hit batters, and pitcher Chris Bassitt blamed it largely on inconsistencies in baseballs provided by the league a year after Major League Baseball cracked down on the use of illegal sticky substances by pitchers.

Dylan Carlson's two-run triple capped a five-run fourth inning. The Cardinals scored two more runs during the outburst than they had the previous three games combined.

Jake Woodford (1-0) allowed a run in two-plus innings of relief as St. Louis snapped a season-high three-game losing streak.

Mets starter Carlos Carrasco (1-1) gave up a season-high eight runs, seven earned, in a season-low 3 2/3 innings as the Mets had their three-game winning streak snapped.

Dakota Hudson (1-1, 3.95 ERA) starts the first of a four-game series Thursday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks and RHP Humberto Castellanos (1-0, 3.00 ERA). Hudson threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his last start Saturday in a 5-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds.