NEW YORK — In his corner of the Mets clubhouse, Lucas Duda stood by his locker, mobbed by reporters again after two home runs in the Mets 5-0 win over the Cardinals. On the other end, Keith Hernandez stood in the doorway out of the clubhouse, a beer leisurely in hand, as he talked about a new-found success for Duda.

It was a conversation between the two Mets first basemen, past and present, that helped Duda solve the meddlesome task of hitting left-handed pitchers. Duda has excelled at this year, after struggling for most of his career. He has benefited from the appearance of new hitting coach Kevin Long, a different approach and his own emergent skill. Hernandez contributed too.

They met one day before spring training began after Duda asked Hernandez, one of the most skilled fielding first baseman of his generation, for help at the position. They then found themselves at a batting cage, Duda holding a bat and Hernandez spouting the wisdom of a 17-year career in which he hit .291 off southpaws.

Hernandez imparted his thoughts, the tendencies he observed and tried to pass on his experiences. It was a day even Hernandez did not make much of until manager Terry Collins asserted Thursday that it had left an impression on Duda.

Still, Hernandez removed himself from any pertinent role in Duda's success.

"I'm not taking credit for this," he said. "He's doing this on his own. Come on, it's ridiculous."

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Duda's ability to hit left-handed pitching has been of the Mets' early-season revelations. He hit just .180 against them last season. The stench of his struggles lingered into the offseason, beginning chatter he could slide into a platoon if he did not improve. Instead, Collins dismissed it, saying Duda would hit and hit well.

The turnaround has been drastic. After homering twice off Cardinals left-handers Thursday, he is now hitting .409 against them this season. He had just nine home runs in 470 plate appearances against lefties in his career before this year but has hit four in 50 plate appearances over the first 42 games.

"I have confidence in myself, so, I feel like it doesn't matter who's out there," Duda said. "If I stick to my gameplan then I'll have a good shot "

Each home run was an impressive sight. In the sixth, he swatted an 89 mph fastball from Jaime Garcia over the hut in the Cardinals bullpen in right field. In the eighth, he batted an 82 mph sinker from Randy Choate off the roof of the same hut.

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It gave Duda five home runs this season, easing worries about his early-season power dip.

"I thought he was going to heat up," Collins said. "I wasn't concerned about it."

The home run off Choate was remarkable to even Hernandez. Choate, the Cardinals' veteran left-handed specialist, had allowed just a .580 OPS to left-handed hitters this season.

But with one swing, Duda cracked him too. Once a weakness, Duda has turned hitting left-handers into a strength this season and even Hernandez is surprised how quick and forceful the turnabout has been.

"Last year was the first year he got to play every day," Hernandez said. "Pitchers, you're getting used to them. You don't see them. You learn from your experiences. If you don't, you're going to be getting a real job somewhere. He's doing it. It's all his experience and he's going to get better. You're seeing it right now."

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Mike Vorkunov may be reached at mvorkunov@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Mike_Vorkunov. Find NJ.com Mets on Facebook.