Chicago, IL – Anthony Rizzo's RBI double in the fourth proved to be the difference as the Chicago Cubs took a 5-3 win over the New York Mets in the second of three games from Wrigley Field.
Alfonso Soriano, Luis Valbuena and Darwin Barney all drove in a run for the Cubs, who have taken the first two of this set after dropping four straight.
Randy Wells lasted just three-plus innings and was charged with three runs on six hits with four walks. Scott Maine (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings to get the first win of his career.
David Wright and Josh Thole both drove in a run for the Mets, who matched a season high with their fourth straight loss. Dillon Gee (5-6) gave up four runs on nine hits over five innings and also drove in a run in the loss.
"I was out there battling and trying to make some pitches, but I left some of them up there and they got a hold of them," said Gee. "They were just able to put the ball in the right spots."
The Mets grabbed the first lead of the game with a pair of runs in the second inning. With two outs, Scott Hairston singled and Daniel Murphy followed suit. Thole and Gee then scored a run each with a single for a 2-0 lead.
The Cubs, though, went up in the third. David DeJesus led off with a single and Starlin Castro walked. A groundout moved the runners up a base and DeJesus scored when Alfonso Soriano grounded out. After Bryan LaHair drew a walk, Valbuena doubled to scored Castro and Barney followed with an RBI single for a 3-2 lead.
New York tied the game in the fourth thanks to Wright's sac fly that plated Thole, but Chicago went back on top in the home portion.
Steve Clevenger singled to start the frame, but the next two batters recorded outs. After Castro singled, Rizzo punched a double to center for a 4-3 lead.
"It was awesome to have that," said Rizzo, who made his Major League debut in the game. "Being able to come into the clubhouse and contribute right away, it's a great feeling."
Chicago added an insurance run in the eighth when, with men on first and second, Reed Johnson hit a grounder to short for a single that saw Ruben Tejada throw the ball away, allowing Barney to cross the plate for a 5-3 lead.
Carlos Marmol worked around a leadoff walk to Wright in the ninth to grab his fifth save of the season.
Game Notes
The Mets went just 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 12 on base. The left at least one man on base in each inning after the first...Chicago stranded nine, but did have four hits in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position...Mets first baseman Ike Davis was ejected from the game by first base umpire Manny Gonzalez in the eighth inning for arguing a call. Davis made contact with Gonzalez on the arm with his glove.
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