Christopher Morel tied a team record by homering in his fifth straight game, rookie Matt Mervis clubbed a two-run drive and Seiya Suzuki also went deep as the host Chicago Cubs cooled off the New York Mets with a 7-2 victory on Tuesday night.
With Chicago ahead 6-2 in the seventh, Morel added some historic insurance with a ball well into the left-field bleachers. He’s the first Cub to homer in five straight since Sammy Sosa (1998). Called up May 9, Morel has homered nine times in his first 12 games – only the fourth player since 1901 to accomplish that feat.
Mervis had three RBIs and Drew Smyly (5-1) allowed two runs, four hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings for the Cubs, who regrouped following a 2-7 road trip.
Pete Alonso clubbed his league-leading 18th homer and had two RBIs for the Mets, who were riding a five-game winning streak. Brandon Nimmo added three hits.
New York’s Tylor Megill (5-3), moved up a day so scheduled starter Kodai Senga could pitch on extra rest Wednesday, lasted just 3 2/3 innings. He was charged with six runs – four earned – and also yielded six hits while fanning five.
Chicago opened the scoring when Suzuki led off the second by sending Megill’s pitch into the center-field batter’s eye. The Cubs made it 4-0 with an RBI infield single by Yan Gomes and Mervis’ opposite drive into the left-center field bleachers.
Alonso got the Mets on the board in the fourth with his fifth homer in seven games. Chicago, though, answered in the bottom of the frame when Mike Tauchman reached second after left fielder Tommy Pham dropped his fly ball; Tauchman scored on Mervis’ single. Dansby Swanson added a run-scoring single to make it 6-1.
New York loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth vs. Smyly. However, the Mets managed only an RBI fielder’s choice from Alonso against Cubs reliever Jeremiah Estrada.
The Mets have dropped 10 of 13 road games.
–Field Level Media