Cubs 4 - 1 Mets
Final
  for this game

Cubs top Mets to split series

Aug 18, 2014 - 9:24 PM Flushing, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Rizzo hit a go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning and the Chicago Cubs beat the punchless New York Mets 4-1 on Monday to wrap up their four-game series.

The Cubs, who won the last two games of the four-game series, got a two-run homer from rookie slugger Javier Baez on Monday and seven strong innings from Kyle Hendricks in his fourth straight win.

The Mets had just four hits -- the fifth straight game they were held under five. After Lucas Duda's solo homer in the fourth inning, they didn't have another hit until Daniel Murphy led off the ninth with a double.

"There's no easy answers," said New York manager Terry Collins after the game as his team prepared for a five-game California road trip that starts Tuesday in Oakland.

"It's not the workload. As a matter of fact this time of year maybe they're swinging too much. It's about not doing too much. Just put the barrel on the ball."

Hendricks (5-1) walked two and struck out three. He has allowed just four earned runs in 29 1/3 innings during his winning streak.

The Mets, who have lost five of their last seven, tied a franchise record for most games in a row with four hits or fewer. They had five-game streaks in 2004 and 1963.

"We had a really good meeting before the series and I think everybody went out there with a really good gameplan and both catchers just called really good games all four days," Hendricks said of the Cubs staff.

Carlos Torres made a spot start for the Mets, his first of the season, after scheduled starter Bartolo Colon flew home to the Dominican Republic to be with his critically ill mother.

Torres threw 86 pitches in five shutout innings, striking out six while giving up just three hits and two walks.

He struck out the side on 14 pitches in the first inning and got his sixth strikeout with the bases loaded in the fourth, fanning Welington Castillo to escape the jam.

Duda hit his 22nd homer of the season to right in the bottom of the fourth to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.

Dana Eveland replaced Torres to start the sixth and gave up a leadoff double to Rizzo, who scored on Luis Valbuena'a single to right field to tie the game.

After Buddy Carlyle (1-1) gave up Rizzo's 28th homer of the season with one out in the eighth, he walked Starlin Castro and surrendered a single to Valbuena. Vic Black loaded the bases with two outs when he walked Castillo but pinch-hitter Chris Coghlan grounded out to end the threat.

Baez homered to left off Jenrry Mejia with one out in the ninth to give the Cubs their 4-1 lead. Baez has five homers in his first 60 major-league at- bats.

Hector Rondon got three outs after giving up Murphy's double to earn his 18th save of the season.

Game Notes

Torres made his 16th career start. His previous season-high in pitches was 81 in 4 2/3 innings against Texas on July 4 after starter Jon Niese was hit in the back by a grounder in the first inning ... The Cubs return to Chicago for six games starting Tuesday against San Francisco.






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