Contreras, Donovan spark Cardinals to 6-5 victory over Mets in first game of doubleheader

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Willson Contreras drove in three runs on three hits, including a homer, and Brendan Donovan had two hits and two RBIs to spark the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-5 victory over the New York Mets in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday.

Erick Fedde (2-3) pitched into the sixth inning, allowing three runs on six hits and five walks. Ryan Helsley worked the ninth for his fifth save in seven chances.

Blade Tidwell (0-1), a 23-year-old right-hander and the Mets' 15th-ranked prospect, lost his major league debut. He gave up six runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings, becoming the first Mets starter this year to give up more than four runs. That ended a 33-game streak to begin the season of starters allowing four runs or fewer, which was the longest in the National League in the modern era.

Nolan Arenado and Victor Scott II each had two hits with a walk.

Pete Alonso hit two doubles and Luisangel Acuña, who made his first major league start at third base, added three singles for the Mets.

A one-out, two-run single by Francisco Lindor with the bases loaded in the eighth got the Mets within 6-5. Reliever JoJo Romero entered and walked a batter before striking out Alonso looking and getting Brandon Nimmo to fly out.

St. Louis chased Tidwell with two outs in the fourth after 82 pitches. Donovan and Contreras each had two-run singles for a 6-2 lead.

St. Louis second baseman Nolan Gorman ran and made a sliding catch of popup behind first base in the second inning. Contreras avoided a collision but stepped on Gorman’s glove hand. Gorman sustained a cut on his left index finger.

New York had won its last nine games against St. Louis.

Mets RHP Tyler Megill (3-2, 1.74) was to face Andre Pallante (2-2, 4.13) in the nightcap.

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St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) celebrates with left fielder Brendan Donovan (33) after defeating the New York Mets in the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals' Willson Contreras rounds third base after hitting a solo home run in the second inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan, right, hits a two-run single as New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens, left, watches in the fourth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Erick Fedde throws in the first inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals' Willson Contreras hits a two-run single in the fourth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals' Willson Contreras, center, is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo home run in the second inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

The Washington Commanders are bringing aboard D.J. Williams, whose father is Super Bowl-winning quarterback Doug Williams, as their new QBs coach, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Wednesday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not yet announced the hiring of the younger Williams, who was the quarterbacks coach this past season for the Atlanta Falcons.

The move was first reported by ESPN.

D.J. Williams was an offensive assistant and assistant QBs coach for Atlanta in 2024.

Before that, he spent five seasons with the New Orleans Saints as an offensive assistant.

He played quarterback in college at Grambling State, the same school where his father was a QB before being a first-round NFL draft pick. The older Williams went on to play for the Washington franchise and was the Super Bowl MVP when the club defeated the Denver Broncos 42-10 after the 1987 season.

Doug Williams is now an executive with the Commanders.

D.J. Williams replaces Tavita Pritchard, who was Washington's quarterbacks coach during Jayden Daniels' AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2024 and left the Commanders during this past season after being hired by Stanford as its head coach.

David Blough, who was the assistant QBs coach under Pritchard and helped fill in after he moved on, was promoted last week to offensive coordinator. The previous OC, Kliff Kingsbury, agreed with head coach Dan Quinn two days after Washington's 5-12 season ended that it was time to part ways.

Quinn still also needs to find a new assistant QBs coach, offensive line coach and defensive coordinator. The former DC, Joe Whitt Jr., was fired after the season.

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FILE - Atlanta Falcons offensive assistant quarterbacks coach D.J. Williams warms up players before coaching against the Las Vegas Raiders in an NFL football game, Dec. 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis, File)