The Mets came to Wrigley Field riding an eight-game losing streak in which they had been outscored 44-12.
Those sorts of things are usually ripe for the losing streak team to break it, especially with the wind blowing out at the ol’ ballyard.
Not in this one. The Mets looked like a team in disarray and now have a nine-game losing streak in which they have been outscored 56-16 after the Cubs demolished them 12-4 on a warm, windy April afternoon.
The Cubs wasted no time getting the bats going after Edward
Cabrera threw a scoreless first. With one out, Michael Busch walked and Alex Bregman singled him to third. Ian Happ struck out, but this bloop single by Seiya Suzuki made it 1-0 Cubs [VIDEO].
That 1-0 lead quickly became 4-0 courtesy of Moisés Ballesteros [VIDEO].
About the four-run first, from BCB’s JohnW53:
The Cubs’ four runs in the first inning equal their total in the first in their previous 18 games. That had been their fewest in any inning. They began today having scored six each in the second and fourth.
The Mets made it 4-3 off Cabrera in the second with four hits in the inning, and it could have been more if not for this terrific throw from Pete Crow-Armstrong [VIDEO].
The Cubs got two of those runs back in the bottom of the second on another homer. With one out, Dansby Swanson walked and Nico Hoerner put one in the bleachers [VIDEO].
That was Nico’s third of the year. Last year he hit his third home run on June 28, in the Cubs’ 79th game.
Cabrera had an easy third and fourth thanks to two double plays, one of those a strikeout-throwout DP by Carson Kelly [VIDEO].
The Cubs then extended the lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the fourth. Swanson singled with one out and Hoerner and Busch also singled, loading the bases. Bregman hit a sharp line drive right to Francisco Lindor at short for the second out, and then this happened [VIDEO].
The Mets have some definite holes in their defense and it showed there. Meanwhile, the Cubs were getting some slick defense from Hoerner. This one ended the fifth [VIDEO].
This leaping catch by Nico was the second out in the sixth [VIDEO].
Hoerner was 3-for-5, his third three-hit game in his last eight. Between that and the great defense, if he keeps this up he might be NL Player of the Week, or even Player of the Month for April. He’s just been outstanding.
Cabrera finished up with six innings, allowing eight hits and three runs. Not a great outing, but good enough with the offense the Cubs provided. Riley Martin, who I am liking better and better with each outing, threw a scoreless seventh which included Kelly getting this ball call overturned for a strikeout [VIDEO].
Then the Cubs blew the game open in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Suzuki doubled and scored on this double by Matt Shaw [VIDEO].
Shaw advanced to third on a single by Kelly, and scored on this wild pitch [VIDEO].
PCA walked to load the bases, and Swanson scored Kelly with this sac fly to make it 10-3 [VIDEO].
Jacob Webb allowed the Mets a run on four hits in the top of the eighth, and the Cubs did that one better in the bottom of the inning. Busch led off with a single and one out later, Happ launched this towering home run to Waveland [VIDEO].
Check out the height and distance on that one! [VIDEO].
Hoby Milner entered to throw the ninth and allowed a leadoff single, but one out later ended the game on this double play [VIDEO].
A note from John on the Cubs’ three straight 10+ run games:
The Cubs had last scored at least 10 runs in three consecutive games Sept. 13-15, 2019, when they crushed the Pirates at home, 17-8, 14-1 and 16-6, setting a franchise record for total runs in a three-game series. This is the Cubs’ ninth three-game double-digit streak since 1901. Their record is five in a row, June 1-6, 1930.
And about the Cubs’ three wins in a row:
The Cubs’ previous three-game winning streak was the final three games of last season, when they swept the Cardinals at Wrigley Field, 12-1, 7-3 and 2-0.
Their last four-game streak was Sept. 14-17, when they beat the Rays at home, 4-3, then swept at Pittsburgh, 4-0, 4-1 and 8-4.
This is the sort of offense I think we will see more of from this team — some long-sequence innings, some home runs, taking advantage of the other team’s errors.
Unfortunately, there was bad news that broke just before the first pitch today, the Cubs announcing that Daniel Palencia was going on the 15-day IL with an oblique strain. Here’s how that happened (Bluesky link):
At this writing the Cubs have not announced who’s being called up to replace Palencia on the active roster. There aren’t a whole lot of choices, to be honest. As always, we await developments.
More on the game from Craig Counsell [VIDEO].
The Cubs will go for four straight wins Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The weather will be much colder with the wind likely blowing in, which could be good news for Jameson Taillon, who will start for the Cubs. Old NL Central friend Freddy Peralta goes for the Mets. Game time is again 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and MLB Network outside the Cubs and Mets market territories).
