In a sport where the most successful players fail in most of their at-bats, Pete Alonso knows perfection is not possible. But that won’t stop him from trying.

The Mets played to plenty of contact on this night, but Alonso’s fifth-inning homer provided firepower in a 9-3 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Alonso launched the go-ahead blast in helping the Mets win their ninth straight game against the Cardinals dating to last season.