Brett Baty's two-homer night not enough in Mets' 6-5 loss to Cubs

Brett Baty homered twice Saturday night, but his big game was not enough for the Mets, who lost to the visiting Chicago Cubs, 6-5, in front of 41,423 at Citi Field. 

The Mets were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base. 

The Mets (25-15) fell to 14-4 at home this season. The two likely contenders meet again Sunday to decide their three-game series

Here are the takeaways…

-Baty’s first shot, a three-run homer off Cade Horton in the fourth inning, got the Mets back close after they fell behind, 4-0. The second one, a two-run blast to the opposite field off Julian Merryweather in the eighth, gave the Mets a late glimmer. Baty, who also homered Friday night, has four home runs this season. 

-Down by one run in the seventh, the Mets built a threat against reliever Daniel Palencia, whose fastball hits triple digits. With one out, Tyrone Taylor lofted a soft single to center and then Francisco Lindor walked, putting the tying run at second and the potential go-ahead marker at first. But Palencia struck out Juan Soto with a gutsy 3-2 slider, getting a swing-and-miss with the 87 mph pitch. Then Palencia retired Pete Alonso on a ground ball to end the threat.

-The Cubs took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Tylor Megill, who had not allowed an earned run at Citi Field prior to Saturday. Pete Crow-Armstrong, the former Met prospect, led off the game with a single to center, stole second and went to third on a throwing error by Francisco Alvarez on the steal attempt. After a walk to Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki singled in PCA. Megill got two outs sandwiched around a walk, but then gave up another run. Dansby Swanson drilled a hard shot toward third that Baty knocked down with his glove. But Baty’s throw to first wasn’t cleanly handled by Alonso, though Swanson probably would’ve been safe anyway. Tucker scored on the play.

-Megill (3-3), who had a 1.09 ERA over his first five starts of the season, lasted only 4.2 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and walked two. In addition to the two runs he gave up in the first inning, Megill also gave up an RBI single to Michael Busch in the third inning and a 404-foot solo homer to Swanson in the fourth that bumped Chicago’s lead to 4-0. It was Swanson’s eighth home run of the season. It wasn’t a tremendous outing for Megill, obviously, but there were moments, including when he got Busch to swing weakly and miss at a pretty slider in the first. Busch missed the ball by about a foot. Megill’s season ERA sits at 3.10 now through eight starts. 

-The Cubs used an opener to start the game and Brad Keller threw a scoreless first frame, which included strikeouts of both Lindor and Alonso. He was replaced after the first by Horton, a 23-year-old righty who is the Cubs’ top pitching prospect. Horton, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft, made his MLB debut and allowed three runs in four innings while striking out five and walking none and earned the win.

-Alvarez got a scare in the third inning when he was hit on the left hand by Horton’s 95 mph fastball. It was the same hand Alvarez had surgery on after suffering a broken hamate bone there in spring training. He was in obvious pain after getting plunked Saturday, but he remained in the game. The broken hamate bone cost him time earlier this season – Saturday was only his 11th game so far.

–Miguel Amaya hit a two-run single off Max Kranick in the eighth inning to extend the Cubs’ lead to 6-3. 

–Edwin Diaz threw a 1-2-3 ninth for the Mets, including a strikeout of Suzuki, the Cubs’ No. 3 hitter.

Game MVP: Brett Baty

Baty, who had his second career multi-homer game and finished with five RBI.

Highlights

What’s next

The Mets and Cubs finish their three-game series with a Sunday matinee on Mother’s Day. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m.

RHP Griffin Canning (5-1, 2.50 ERA) aims to keep his terrific start to the season going and will face off against LHP Matthew Boyd (3-2, 2.75 ERA).

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