Mets miss opportunity to improve in wild-card standings after losing to Cubs

CHICAGO — Mets’ Rookie Struggles in Loss to Cubs

Jonah Tong wasn’t exactly the solution for Wednesday night’s game, but he certainly highlighted the risks of relying on an untested rookie during intense pennant races.

The Mets, currently in a pitching bind, had little choice but to continue with the 22-year-old Tong, who managed to record all six outs during his appearance.

Unfortunately for the Mets, relief didn’t come, leading to a 10-3 defeat by the Cubs at Wrigley Field. This loss could complicate the National League’s wildcard race.

In other action, the Reds fell 4-3 to the Pirates after 11 innings, leaving them one game behind the Mets. Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks had an opportunity to tie with the Mets as they played against the Dodgers later.

The tiebreaker situation between the Mets and the Diamondbacks hinges on their division records. As it stands, the Diamondbacks lead that count with a 25-21 record in the NL West, while the Mets are 24-25 against the NL East.

The series’ final game is scheduled for Thursday night, with rookie McLean boasting a 1.27 ERA over his seven major league starts.

Tong struggled during his second poor outing in the last three starts, giving up five hits, walking two, and fanning one in just two innings. Since being called up from Triple-A Syracuse on August 29, he has posted a troubling 7.71 ERA in five starts.

Once the Mets challenged a play in the first inning, Michael Bush was ruled out at home plate thanks to a throw from center field by Tyron Taylor. Although the Cubs didn’t score in that inning, the situation set a tone for the game.

In the third, things worsened for Tong. After a series of singles, Ian Happ’s double pushed the Cubs to a 2-0 lead and added another run, placing the Mets in a deep hole.

Richard Lovelady managed to get the next three batters out, but not before the Cubs had extended their lead to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly from Pete Crow Armstrong.

Things continued to unravel in the fourth inning, as the Mets found themselves in a six-run deficit before even securing a hit. Francisco Alvarez’s third walk marked the team’s first base runner until Mark Vientos connected in the fifth.

Alvarez capped off a strong performance with a two-run homer in the fifth, bringing the score to 6-2. Just the night before, he had hit a tiebreaking two-run shot that secured a victory for the Mets.

As the Cubs built a 7-2 lead, Vientos was denied a hit to close the fifth inning. Clay Holmes, who entered after a walk, allowed a wild pitch that led to another run for the Cubs, further showcasing the Mets’ struggles.

In the sixth inning, Sean Manaea gave up a two-run homer to Bush, pushing the Mets’ deficit to 10-2. This disappointing outing followed Manaea’s previous struggles against the Nationals.