Chicago Cubs timely, power hitting lifts team past Mets in series finale

The Chicago Cubs close out the series with the Mets with an offensive explosion from Anthony Rizzo who homered twice in the 6-2 victory.

After a gut-wrenching 2-1 loss last night, the Chicago Cubs (57-37) sought redemption against a New York Mets (50-44) team that’s won the last nine meetings between the two clubs.

The Cubs finally broke out of their RISP slump going 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double, and two singles, plating five of their six runs in the 6-3 victory. Coming into today, the Cubs were hitting .244 with RISP in at-bats bats, plating 352 of the team’s 476 total runs.

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As a team, the Cubs are hitting .263/.483/.806 in day games, bombing 67 of their 121 total home runs.

Anthony Rizzo added two home runs of his own following his dismal 0-4 with 4 strikeouts game last night. He now has 24 home runs on the year, fifth best in the National League

Kyle Hendricks (9-6, 2.27 ERA) took the mound this afternoon and looked as sharp as he’s ever been. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in 22 1/3 consecutive innings, including his 6 1/3 shutout innings today, throwing 89 pitches, allowing seven hits and one walk while issuing seven strikeouts.

Hendricks’ adversary, Bartolo Colon (8-5, 3.48 ERA), couldn’t get out of the fifth inning, giving up eight hits and five earned runs—three of which came by way of Rizzo bleacher-shots. Rizzo now has 10 home runs in day games following night games, surely making up for his first career 0-4 game in which he struck out four times.

The Cubs have roughed up Colon this year, batting .270/.554/.903 as a team in 74 at bats, even though they are 1-5 against the Mets this season. Their only win came Monday night when Jon Lester (10-4, 2.89 ERA) beat Steven Matz (7-6, 3.56 ERA) by a score of 5-1.

Jason Heyward added an outfield assist in the top of the fourth to nail James Loney at home. Heyward now has 14 DRS this season, tying him with Kevin Pillar of the Toronto Blue Jays (53-42) for fourth most in the Majors.

Next: Cubs lose a close one to Mets 2-1

Wilmer Flores continued his torrid July with a two-run shot in the top of the eighth inning off of Travis Wood.   Flores is hitting .351/.865/1.225 in the month, with seven home runs, 13 RBI’s and only four strikeouts.

The Cubs took the series finale 6-2 largely due to timely contact and power hitting. With the teams’ favorable travel schedule for the rest of the month—three games at Milwaukee Brewers (39-52) and a split four game series against the White Sox (46-47)—the Cubs are poised to begin the second half of the season in the same fashion that they began the first half.