Chicago Cubs unable to overcome rough start by Arrieta in loss to Mets

The Chicago Cubs didn’t get the quality start from Jake Arrieta that they needed as the New York Mets scored early and were able to hang on for the 4-3 win on Saturday night.

Chicago Cubs starter Jake Arrieta seems to know what has caused his recent issues on the mound, and he hoped his recent bullpen session had helped solve it. The New York Mets Neil Walker quickly showed him he hadn’t with a two-run home run that ignited the Mets as they held on to the 4-3 win over the Cubs.

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The Cubs (51-29) still managed to get 5 1/3 innings out of their starter Arrieta (12-3, 2.33), who struggled to locate the fastball, and walks once again were his nemesis on the night. Arrieta only walked two, but both would come around to score.

The ageless wonder Bartolo Colon (7-4, 2.87) pitched six strong innings for the Mets (43-37), allowing just a two-run home run to Anthony Rizzo that tied the game in the fourth. But Travis d’Arnaud hit a little flare just over the outstretched hand of Javier Baez that brought home two in the bottom half of the fourth to give them a 4-2 lead.

Ben Zobrist would add a solo home run in the top of the seventh to cut the lead to one, but that was as close as the Cubs would get as they dropped their third straight after entering the series on a three-game win streak.

Arrieta, as well as the other starters, will get a bit of a rest as Adam Warren is likely to join the staff this week as Joe Maddon goes with a six-man rotation until the All-Star break, possibly longer.

The Cubs will turn to the NL Pitcher of the Month of June and Jon Lester as they look for him to stop the bleeding against the Mets Noah Syndergaard. The two teams will finish off in a matinée at 12:10 p.m. CT at Citi Field.