Colon outduels Arrieta for Mets' third win over Cubs
Jake Arrieta struggled early on Saturday night

Colon outduels Arrieta for Mets' third win over Cubs


by - Senior Writer -

As New York Mets second baseman Neil Walker’s first-inning shot ricocheted off of the right field foul pole, a roar from the raucous fans in Citi Field ensued. A rare home run given up by Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta, Walker’s homer proved critical in the Mets’ 4-3 victory on Saturday night.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo answered Walker’s two-run homer with one of his own in the top of the fourth, bringing third baseman Kris Bryant home and knotting the game up at 2-2. Bryant opened the inning with a single to left off of veteran Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon.

Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who was 2-3 with two RBI on the evening, quickly made Rizzo’s deep ball moot with a two-run single in the bottom half of the fourth. A clutch two-out hit to center, d’Arnaud brought home shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and right fielder Alejandro De Aza. De Aza, who has struggled as of late and is rumored to be on thin ice in New York, was able to motor around the basepath and score all the way from first, thus providing what proved to be the winning run for the Mets.

With runners on the corners and one out, Arrieta was pulled from the game in the sixth. However, Chicago reliever Travis Wood forced pinch hitter Juan Lagares to ground into an inning-ending double play, thereby enabling the Cubs to escape the jam unscathed.

Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist cut the Mets’ lead to one run in the top of the seventh with a home run to right, which resulted in Colon being relieved of his duty on the mound. But the Cubs never threatened from that point on, and the Mets hung on, winning 4-3 in the third game of the four-game series.

The Mets have won all three games of series thus far, causing major problems for the Cubs’ starting pitchers throughout. Arrieta collected the loss for his outing, the second loss in his last three starts. The ace has faltered as of late, struggling early on in his starts, and he is now 12-3 on the season with a 2.33 ERA. Colon, who only gave up four hits tonight, earned the win and moved to 7-4 this year with a 2.87 ERA. The Cubs will look to avoid suffering a sweep tomorrow afternoon, when Cubs lefty and reigning National League Pitcher of the Month Jon Lester faces off against Mets phenom Noah Syndergaard.

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