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Cubs Complete Sweep of Mets

David Peterson got only one out and the slumping New York Mets fell behind early Wednesday night in a 6-3 loss that completed a three-game sweep by the Chicago Cubs.

 

The NL East leaders lost their fifth consecutive home game and dropped to 5-7 in a 16-game stretch against Washington, Pittsburgh, Miami and Chicago - all more than 20 games under .500 this season.

 

New York remained a half-game ahead of the Braves in the division race after they lost in San Francisco earlier. The Mets have held a share of first place for all but two days this season: April 11 and Sept. 9.

 

New York has dropped three straight overall for the second time this month and fourth time this year.

 

Peterson's only out was a strikeout of Patrick Wisdom, and the left-hander allowed two-run doubles to Yan Gomes and P.J. Higgins. Trevor Williams permitted an RBI double to Michael Hermosillo and a run-scoring single to Nelson Velazquez in Chicago's 25-minute opening inning.

 

Pete Alonso and Tomas Nido homered for the Mets, who scored six runs in the series and got swept for the fourth time this year. New York was also swept in a pair of two-game sets against AL-best Houston in June and last month against the Yankees in the Bronx.

 

The Mets were 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position during the series and were swept in a three-game set for the first time since September 2021 against St. Louis.

 

Peterson (7-5) allowed five runs and two hits. In his last three starts against Chicago, Miami and Washington, he has given up 11 runs in 9 1/3 innings.

 

The Cubs won their third straight for the first time winning five in a row Aug. 16-20.

 

Chicago starter Drew Smyly (7-8) allowed two runs - one earned - and four hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked one.

 

Chicago earned its third sweep and scored six runs in the first inning for the second time this year.

 

Williams began warming up 13 minutes into the game and Gomes gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead with a double to the right field corner. Two pitches later, Higgins hit a two-run double down the right field line that just stayed fair, and Peterson was booed off the mound.

 

Hermosillo's double to left pushed Chicago's lead to 5-0, and the center fielder scored the sixth run on a single by Velazquez.

 

The Mets were within 6-3 when Alonso connected in the eighth, but Michael Rucker whiffed rookie Mark Vientos. Mark Leiter Jr. hit Jeff McNeil in the back with a pitch to open the ninth before getting his second save.

 

Marcus Stroman (3-7, 3.91 ERA) starts Friday afternoon at home against Colorado RHP German Marquez (8-10, 5.25).

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