Cubs Rally Falls Short In 2-1 Loss To Mets
CHICAGO (AP) — Jeurys Familia escaped a bases-loaded jam with a game-ending double play after Rene Rivera drove in the tiebreaking run with two outs in the top of the ninth, lifting the New York Mets over the Chicago Cubs, 2-1, on Tuesday night.
Familia walked Addison Russell and Miguel Montero to start the ninth, then Javier Baez reached on a bunt single when third baseman Jose Reyes threw wide to first. Pinch-hitter Matt Szczur hit a grounder to first baseman James Loney, and Loney threw out Russell at the plate. Kris Bryant then hit into a 5-4-3 double play to give Familia his 33rd save in 33 chances.
Rivera had the third single in the ninth — following hits by Loney and Asdrubal Cabrera — off Hector Rondon (1-2) as the Mets beat the Cubs for the fifth time in six games after sweeping them in last year's NL Championship Series.
Hansel Robles (4-3) pitched two scoreless innings in relief for the win.
All-Star right-handers Jake Arrieta of the Cubs and Noah Syndergaard of the Mets returned to dominant form in no decisions.
Arrieta retired 14 of the first 15 Mets hitters, including 12 straight following Yoenis Cespedes' single in the first. He allowed one run and struck out eight in seven innings, his longest outing since June 11. Last year's NL Cy Young Award winner got back on track after allowing four or more earned runs in three consecutive starts for the first time since 2012.
Syndergaard gave up one unearned run on seven hits through 5 2/3 innings. He struck out eight before being replaced by Jerry Blevins after throwing 105 pitches.
Syndergaard had his velocity early, reaching 100 mph in the first inning, and was able to escape jams in the first and second. He left in the fifth inning of his previous start, on July 8, with arm fatigue after allowing three runs in a loss to Washington.
New York's Michael Conforto made his first start, in right field, since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday and went 0 for 3. He had pinch-hit on Monday and singled.
Arrieta doubled with two out in the fourth, then was thrown out at the plate when he tried to score on Tommy La Stella's single. At first, Arrieta was ruled safe by umpire Eric Cooper, but he was called out following a video review.
Copyright The Associated Press 2016.
