Cubs 3 Mets 1 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)
Mets record: 14-14
Mets streak: Lost 1
WP - Mark Leiter Jr. (1-1)
LP - Edwin Diaz (0-1)
Seat on the Korner: Christopher Morel
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
Christopher Morel twice grounded to third and lined into a double play in his three at-bats against Luis Severino, but hitting in the ninth agaist Edwin Diaz, Morel didn't give Mike Tauchman a chance to make another running blunder. He hit an Edwin Diaz pitch 402 feet over the fence in left center for the two-run homer that proved to be the game winner. Take a seat and tell Ralph about your previous at-bats against Severino and what you were thinking about when facing Diaz.
Need to Know
Brandon Nimmo homered to lead off the game fo the Mets in what was the team's only run. It was Nimmo's 13th career leadoff homer.
Luis Severino carried a no-hitter into the eighth. It was the second consecutive day a Mets starter pitched eight innings.
With both starting pitchers working quickly and throwing strikes, the game was concluded in a lightning fast two hours, five minutes
The last Met starter to carry a no-hitter into the eighth inning Steven Matz in 2016.
It was exactly two years to the day from the Mets last no-hitter, the five-pitcher combined no-no against the Phillies.
The Mets are now 7-9 at Citi Field this year.
Pete Alonso must have been salivating to see the Cubs come to town. He had homered 16 times in 27 previous games against Chicago .
Pete Crow-Armstrong, the top draft choice whom the Mets sent to the Cubs in the Javy Baez deal, made his Citi Field debut . Crow-Armstrong, who was crushing the ball since being called up from AAA when Cody Bellinger went on the IL, went 0-3
Kodai Senga threw live batting practice against Brooklyn Cyclones hitters at Citi Field, an encouraging step in his return from a shoulder injury.
Turning Point
Joey Wendle, inserted for defensive purposes in the eighth with Severino still pitching a no-hitter in a 1-0 game, made the wrong decision with runners on first and third, one out, and the infield in. Nick Madrigal, pinch hitting for catcher Jan Gomes, hit a grounder to Wendle, who instead of going home to nail Dansby Swanson, tried for the around-the-horn double play. Madrigal beat the relay and Swanson scored to tie the game. Arguably, if Wendle throws out Swanson at home, the Mets go into the ninth with a lead and Severino might still have been on the mound.
Three Keys
Battle of the Yankees IL Standouts
Luis Severino, who retired the first 11 batters he faced in his last outing, was even better tonight. He carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, when he walked Michael Busch before giving up a broken bat single to Dansby Swanson. Severino threw 101 pitches over eight innings, 68 for strikes. Jameson Taillon, whose Yankees tenure was, like Severino's, marked by repeated IL stints, matched him in effectiveness, scattering four hits over seven and a third (including Brandon Nimmo's leadoff home run). He left after throwing only 78 pitches, 57 for strikes.
Diaz crumbles
Edwin Diaz, who came in to pitch the ninth, grooved pitches to Mike Tauchman and Christopher Morel in the ninth Tauchman, the Cubs hottest hitter, slammed a one-out double. Diaz struck out Ian Happ for the second out, but couldn't get out of the inning. Morel homered with what proved to be the winning hit. Diaz then struck out Michael Busch to end the inning. Since it wasn't a save situation, Diaz' string of converting 26 straight save opportunities, the longest in the majors, remains intact, but it seems a little hollow tonight.
Stewart, Baty lose patience; Mets lose game
Cubs closer Hector Neris appered to be struggling, walking Pete Alonso, grooving one to J.D. Martinez, who was a little quick with his bat and flied out, and then walking Jeff McNeil to put the tying runs on base. Neris seemed to be on the ropes, but pinch hitters D.J. Stewart and Brett Baty both struck out, swinging wildly, to end the game.
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