The New York Mets scored two runs in the top of the 10th without hitting the ball out of the infield before holding off the host Chicago Cubs in the bottom half of the inning to earn a 4-3 win on Saturday night.
New York swept the doubleheader with the Cubs, winning the opener 2-1 in 11 innings. It will go for a sweep of the four-game series Sunday. Chicago has lost nine straight.
Starling Marte led off the 10th against Mychal Givens (5-2) with a hard one-hopper to third, where Patrick Wisdom knocked the ball down but threw across the diamond as automatic runner Brandon Nimmo raced to third. Marte easily beat Wisdom’s throw for an infield single.
Marte stole second before Francisco Lindor was intentionally walked after getting ahead 3-0. Pete Alonso was then hit by a pitch to force home Nimmo.
Mark Canha hit into a 1-2-3 double play, but Daniel Norris walked Luis Guillorme to reload the bases. With a 2-0 count on Eduardo Escobar, Norris tried picking off Alonso but threw the ball into centerfield as Lindor trotted home.
Yoan Lopez (1-0) threw a hitless ninth and wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th after Christopher Morel’s one-out single scored automatic runner David Bote.
Seiya Suzuki singled to put runners at the corners and stole second base before Nico Hoerner was intentionally walked.
Frank Schwindel then worked the count full before scorching a grounder to third, where Escobar touched third and fired to first to complete the game-ending double play.
Lindor had a run-scoring groundout in the third and Escobar hit a solo homer in the fourth inning.
Yan Gomes had a pair of RBIs for the Cubs thanks to a second-inning double and a fourth-inning single.
Mets starter Max Scherzer allowed two runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out 11 over 6 1/3 innings. The 11 strikeouts tied a season high for Scherzer, who also struck out 11 against the Cincinnati Reds on July 5.
Cubs starter Drew Smyly allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits. He walked one and fanned four in 4 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
