NEW YORK -- Jedd Gyorko hit a two-run home run in the third inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Mets 3-2 in the opener of a doubleheader Tuesday.

The Cardinals opened their 10-game road trip in a mostly empty stadium, and all the runs were scored in the opening four innings.

Gyorko's 13th home run of the year and fifth in eight games wound up being the difference for the Cardinals, who have homered in a season-high 16 consecutive games, three shy of the 2006 club record.

Tommy Pham scored the other St. Louis run on a second-inning throwing error by Noah Syndergaard.

Rene Rivera homered for the Mets, who have 26 long balls in their past 12 home games.

St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez (10-6) labored at times through five innings but improved to 6-1 in his last 10 starts. He allowed two runs and five hits, and the Mets stranded eight runners against him.

Relievers Tyler Lyons, Kevin Siegrist and Seung Hwan Oh combined on four scoreless innings. Oh highlighted his fifth save in six opportunities by getting Yoenis Cespedes on a warning track fly ball to center field that became a double play when Pham threw Curtis Granderson out at second base.

Syndergaard (9-5) allowed three runs (two earned) and seven hits in seven innings.

The right-hander had an eventful second inning, and it eventually led to an unearned run.

Pham's base hit went off his right leg and deflected to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to load the bases. After throwing one warmup pitch, Syndergaard resumed, and three pitches later, he committed a throwing error when his throw to the plate on Martinez's grounder bounced before a play could be made.

The Cardinals took a 3-0 lead when Gyorko drove a first-pitch fastball down the left field line for a 412-foot home run.

After leaving the bases loaded in the third, Mets made it 3-2 when Rivera drove a 3-1 fastball over the left field wall with one out in the fourth. St. Louis nearly took a 4-2 lead on Yadier Molina's double in the fifth, but Matt Adams was thrown out at the plate.

NOTES: The Cardinals placed RHP Trevor Rosenthal on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. Manager Mike Matheny said Rosenthal asked to have his shoulder looked at over the weekend. ... Both teams will add a 26th player for the second game. St. Louis will include RHP Sam Tuivailala, and the Mets will add LHP Josh Smoker. ... Manager Terry Collins said he has not discussed if the Mets will use a spot starter for Saturday's game against the Colorado Rockies. ... Tuesday was the first doubleheader between the Mets and Cardinals since Aug. 22, 1999, at Shea Stadium. ... ESPN announced New York's home contest against Washington on Sept. 4 will be a night game. The Mets play the next afternoon in Cincinnati.