The New York Mets (26-15) wrapped up their series against the Chicago Cubs (23-18) with a 6-2 victory on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field, using a four-run eighth inning to break open a tight game and claim the rubber match.
Pitching on his birthday, Griffin Canning delivered a strong outing, limiting the Cubs to just one run on two hits over six innings while striking out five. His lone blemish came in the sixth, when former Met prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong tied the game with a solo homer. But, Mark Vientos responded immediately in the bottom half with a solo blast of his own, giving the Mets back the lead.
The game was tied again briefly in the seventh after a leadoff walk led to an RBI double from Nico Hoerner, but the Mets bullpen held firm. Ryne Stanek tossed a scoreless eighth, setting the stage for the offense to erupt.
Francisco Lindor jumpstarted the decisive eighth inning with a solo home run, and Pete Alonso doubled before scoring on Vientos’ second RBI of the day. Brandon Nimmo then capped the rally with a two-run shot to right.
The Mets’ bullpen sealed the win, with Edwin DÃaz tossing his second straight 1-2-3 ninth.
Luis Torrens opened the scoring with an RBI triple in the third but later exited after being struck by a foul ball. Francisco Alvarez stepped in and collected two hits.
The Mets will continue their homestand on Monday when they open a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:10 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].