Mets 4, Cubs 3
Mets 4, Cubs 3: Kirk Nieuwenhuis blasted a walk-off three-run home run to cap a four-run ninth inning as host New York rallied to salvage the final game of the series.
Marlon Byrd led off the ninth with a solo shot into the second deck in left against Carlos Marmol (2-4), who was called on to protect the lead because closer Kevin Gregg had pitched four straight days. Lucas Duda walked and John Buck singled and both were sacrificed up a base before Nieuwenhuis launched a 1-0 fastball to right for his first homer of the season.
The uprising spoiled one of the best starts of the year for Cubs right-hander Matt Garza, who allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings and struck out five. Mets starter Jeremy Hefner allowed three runs - one earned - on six hits over five innings.
Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the first on Alfonso Soriano's RBI single and added two runs on a wild play in the fifth. David Wright made a diving stab on Soriano's grounder but threw wild to first to allow one run to score, and Daniel Murphy's errant throw to the plate permitted another run to come across.
The Mets' maligned bullpen combined to allow only one hit over four innings of scoreless work with Bobby Parnell (5-3) earning the win with a perfect ninth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Marmol was charged with four runs and recorded only one out - on Omar Quintanilla's sacrifice bunt. … The Cubs have not swept a series in New York since taking four games in 1991. … The Mets have not scored more than five runs in their last 26 home games, matching a dubious franchise mark set in 1978 and tied in 1979.