(Betting Express) - Surprising youngster Mitchell Boggs hopes to continue his role in what's been a surprising 2008 season for St. Louis tonight, when the Cardinals host the New York Mets in the finale of a four-game series at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis, picked by many to finish near the bottom of the National League's Central Division this year, instead finds itself near the top of the six-team group -- trailing the first-place Chicago Cubs by just 2 1/2 games.

The Cardinals are first in the early stages of the NL wild card race, leading nearest pursuer Milwaukee by two games.

Boggs, a fifth-round draft choice in 2005, reached the majors last month on a pitching staff depleted by injuries to many of its key contributors. He made a two-inning relief appearance in a 6-1 loss to Houston on June 6, but has since started four games and won three.

In his last outing, on June 28 against Kansas City, he allowed four hits and a run over six innings and struck out six batters in a 5-1 defeat of the Royals. Overall, in his starts, he's surrendered 19 hits and 10 runs in 20 2/3 innings, with 11 walks and 10 strikeouts.

The Mets, meanwhile, go with former right-hander phenom Mike Pelfrey, who's beginning to show signs of the success the team expected when he was chosen ninth overall in 2005.

Pelfrey, who was 5-9 through 19 major-league appearances in 2006-07, opened this season poorly and was 1-6 with five no-decisions through his initial 12 starts. He's won three straight since, however, including a 15-6 rout of the New York Yankees on June 27.

The 6-foot-7, 230-pounder allowed eight hits and four runs in five innings of that victory, and, in the three wins combined, has given up 19 hits and 10 runs in 16 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts.

He is 3-2 in seven road starts this season with a 6.38 earned run average.

Pelfrey has never faced the Cardinals.

On Wednesday, Troy Glaus drilled two home runs, including the game-winning solo shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Cardinals an 8-7 win over the Mets.

Glaus finished with four RBI, while Rick Ankiel homered and drove in a pair in the Cardinals' fourth win in their last five games. Chris Duncan drilled a pinch-hit, two-run long ball to tie the game in the eighth for the victors.

Glaus' blast made a winner of Ryan Franklin (3-2), who tossed a perfect ninth. Starter Joel Pineiro was bounced around for 11 hits and four runs in five innings of work for St. Louis.

Carlos Muniz (0-1) was saddled with the loss after surrendering the ninth- inning home run, and Pedro Martinez took a no-decision after allowing five runs on seven hits through five innings with four strikeouts and a walk.

Jose Reyes, David Wright and Damion Easley each tallied three hits for the Mets, with Easley bringing in three runs in defeat for the Mets, who have dropped two of the first three games of the series.

New York won five of seven versus the Cardinals last season, sweeping a three- game set at Busch Stadium.