Mets Fall to Cubs 4-3, Swept at Home and in Season Series

The New York Mets found themselves on the wrong side of a tightly contested affair against the Chicago Cubs, falling 4-3 on their home turf. This loss marked the culmination of a disappointing season series, as the Mets were swept by the Cubs, leaving them to grapple with the harsh reality of leaving 14 runners on base—a season high.

Freddy Peralta started on the mound for the Cubs, showcasing his skills after allowing a leadoff single to Pete Crow-Armstrong in the first inning. He quickly settled in, retiring the next ten batters and effectively minimizing his pitch count. Meanwhile, the Mets’ offense struggled to capitalize on opportunities. After Juan Soto walked in the first, Francisco Alvarez followed suit in the second, and both Carson Benge and Soto were issued walks in the third, but none were able to come around to score. Bo Bichette found himself stranded after a single in the third, while Michael Busch’s single in the fourth was also left wanting as Peralta managed to escape yet another jam.

Defensive woes compounded the Mets’ struggles in the sixth inning. A throwing error by Ronny Mauricio allowed Dansby Swanson to reach base, setting the stage for an RBI single from Michael Conforto. Alex Bregman then capitalized on an error that allowed him to reach third and score Conforto, bringing the tally of unearned runs to three. Ian Happ added to the Cubs’ lead with another RBI single before Austin Warren came in to relieve Peralta and struck out Pedro Ramírez to end the threat.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Mets began to mount a response. A. J. Ewing led off with a walk, and after two outs, Eric Wagaman came in to pinch-hit for Melendez. Wagaman delivered in a big way, launching a two-run homer into left field to narrow the Cubs’ lead. Inspired by the moment, Brett Baty followed with a single, and Benge lined a single into center, putting pressure on the Cubs’ defense. However, the inning ended with the bases loaded as Soto grounded out, marking the second time the Mets left runners stranded in scoring position.

The Mets’ pinch-hitting prowess shone again in the seventh, as Jared Young, hitting for Vientos, hit a home run to tie the game. Ewing managed to single and steal second, but once more, he was left stranded. Luke Weaver took the mound in the eighth and struck out the side, while Devin Williams held the game at a standstill in the ninth. Jared Young walked and Francisco Alvarez reached on Swanson’s error, but Ewing’s flyout and Mauricio’s groundout sent the game into extra innings.

In the tenth, Miguel Amaya served as the Cubs’ extra runner, and Crow-Armstrong made his impact felt with a double that brought in Amaya. Brooks Raley minimized the damage, but the Mets were unable to respond with their own runner at second base in the bottom half of the inning. The game concluded with the Mets’ sixth loss in a row, as the Cubs asserted their dominance throughout the season series.

Looking ahead, the Mets will face the Philadelphia Phillies at home tomorrow at 7:10 PM ET, with Zach Thornton likely taking the mound against Zack Wheeler.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.