Cubs Met One Get Away

So far the series had gone as predicted for the Cubs and Mets. The home team lost the opener against tough righty Matt Harvey and responded with a winning effort behind the streaking Scott Feldman on Saturday. With a just as hot Travis Wood going on Sunday, the Cubs were feeling good about their chances of winning a third straight series. Those positive vibes continued into the fifth inning, with Wood keeping the Mets off the scoreboard despite the lead of man reaching in the second and third innings. The Cubs bearded lefty even did damage from the offensive side of the ball, launching a souvenir over the left field bleachers for the ball hawks on Waveland Avenue, doing his best Sammy Sosa impression sans alleged PED use. His jack came after Welington Castillo had led off the frame with a double and the Cubs had a nice 2-0 lead that Wood surely would not give up with the way he has been pitching.

May 19, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Travis Wood (R) is greeted bycatcher Welington Castillo (53) after hitting a two-run homer against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Even when the Mets managed to answer right back with a single tally in the sixth, compliments of All Star David Wright, comfort was restored when Ryan Sweeney got the run right back with a solo shot in the bottom half. The long ball to right field was the outfielder’s first as a Cub. But in hindsight the slip into the loss column began that same inning. Nate Schierholtz followed up the Sweeney jack with a double, but the Cubs had three failed attempts at driving him in for an added insurance run. Wood, who was not quite his excellent self on the mound, then served up a two run homer to Juan Lagares in the seventh and it was back to square one, knotted at three.

Hot hitting Daniel Murphy then hit Kyuji Fujikawa with a solo home run of his own and just like that the Cubs were looking at a 4-3 deficit. The North Side offense could get nothing going against the Mets bullpen in the final two innings and the visitors from New York ended up taking a series win at Wrigley for the first time since 2007. The Cubs have the off day Monday to regroup and travel to Pittsburgh to take on the third place Pirates.