Game Seventy-Nine – Cubs 2, Mets 10
WP – Jacob deGrom (4-4) LP – Jason Hammel (7-5) Save – None
Friday night at Citi Field was easily the Cubs worst loss of the season. There were three rain delays and the Mets teed off on Jason Hammel. The Mets took batting practice and launched five home runs in four-plus innings off Hammel and cruised to an easy win over the Cubs.
Rain delayed first pitch for 11 minutes and the Mets came out swinging once the game began.
Jason Hammel did not have it Friday and started elevating before the second rain delay. Hammel served up back-to-back homers to James Loney and Asdrubal Cabrera in the second inning. The Mets took a 2-0 lead into the second rain delay, before third inning got underway and lasted one hour and eight minutes.
Joe Maddon had no choice but to send Hammel back out. The Cubs are in the middle of 24 games in 24 days and the bullpen is spent. Hammel’s command was actually worse. And Hammel not only gave up three more home runs before Maddon was forced to get him out of the game, the Mets squared him up like they knew what he was throwing.
With Jacob deGrom on the hill, the Cubs had little room for error. The Mets pretty much put the game away on a two-run double by James Loney in the third that made it 4-0. The Mets added three runs in the fourth on Brandon Nimmo’s first big league home run, a three-run shot to right center. Brandon Nimmo made a curtain call as the Mets thumped the Cubs. Nimmo had an excellent game and appears to be the next Mets prospect that excels in the majors, just like Michael Conforto.
Jason Hammel started the fifth inning and gave up three more runs on a solo shot by Yoenis Cespedes and a two-run homer by Asdrubal Cabrera, his second longball of the game. Hammel wasn’t able to record an out before Maddon went to his pen for Spencer Patton.
Jason Hammel became the first Cubs’ starter to give up at least three homers in a single game. Hammel served up a career-worst five longballs Friday night. Hammel allowed 10 runs on nine hits (five home runs) with two walks and three strikeouts. Hammel made 85 pitches, 53 for strikes, in four-plus innings. And Hammel saw his ERA jump 0.87 to 3.45 on Friday night.
Kris Bryant (1-for-3 with a home run and a walk) launched a home run in the fourth inning for the Cubs’ first hit of the game off Jacob deGrom. Bryant took over the National League lead in homers (23) with the longball.
Addison Russell (0-for-2 with a HBP and a sac fly RBI) plated Willson Contreras (1-for-4 with a double and a run scored) with a sac fly in the seventh for the Cubs second run.
Albert Almora Jr. (1-for-3), Matt Szczur (1-for-2), Jason Heyward (1-for-4) and Javier Baez (1-4) also had hits.
With Friday’s loss, the Cubs slipped to 51-28 on the season.
Jake Arrieta takes on Bartolo Colon on Saturday night (6:15pm CDT) in game three of four at wonderful Citi Field.