DJ Stewart’s go-ahead homer lifts Mets over Cubs to even series
NEW YORK — Three of the four runs the Mets scored Tuesday night were unearned, but earned or not, they still counted.
The Mets evened the series with the Chicago Cubs with a 4-2 win Tuesday night at Citi Field, with DJ Stewart hitting a go-ahead three-run homer off right-hander Adbert Alzolay. Stewart’s fourth home run of the season broke a 1-1 tie, giving the fans something to cheer about aside from dollar hot dog night.
The only earned run of the night was scored by Francisco Lindor in the bottom of the first, though it was initially ruled as unearned. He took a single off right-hander Javier Assad and broke for second base. First baseman Patrick Wisdom overthrew first base and he reached third, putting him in position to score on a fly ball from Pete Alonso.
Lindor was later credited with a stolen base and Wisdom received an error.
The Cubs (18-12) tied the game in the second, with left-hander Sean Manaea struggling with his command. He struck out Christopher Morel for the first out of the inning but walked Dansby Swanson, gave up a single to Mike Tauchman and walked Nick Madrigal to load the bases. Swanson scored on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Amaya.
Manaea was effective over five innings but once again, walks upped his pitch count. He used 92 pitches over those five innings, holding Chicago to only one earned run on three hits, walking four and striking out three. However, with back-to-back eight-inning performances by Mets starters, the bullpen was rested and ready to pick up where Manaea left off.
Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) kept the game tied with a scoreless sixth. The Cubs replaced Assad in the bottom of the sixth after only 78 pitches. With one out, J.D. Davis reached on an error from Swanson. Alzolay (1-3) retired Jeff McNeil but Tyrone Taylor extended the inning with a single. It was a solid piece of two-strike hitting, and it put two on with two out for Stewart, who mashed an 0-1 cutter over the right-field fence.
Reed Garrett tossed a scoreless seventh and Adam Ottavino retired the side in order in the ninth.
With Edwin Diaz down after having pitched back-to-back nights, Jorge Lopez received the save opportunity in the ninth. He allowed a run but escaped further damage to record his second save of the season.
Not for nothing: According to the Citi Field hot dog counter, the total sold for the night was 44, 269.
