Flores gets six hits as Mets sweep Cubs
NEW YORK -- Wilmer Flores tied a franchise record with six hits Sunday afternoon, when his homer leading off the second inning launched a seven-run outburst that lifted the New York Mets to a 14-3 win over the Chicago Cubs and a sweep of the four-game series at Citi Field.
Flores had an RBI single later in the second, a single in the fourth, a two-run homer in the fifth and singles in the seventh and eighth. The second six-hit game in franchise history -- Edgardo Alfonzo achieved the feat on Aug. 30, 1999 -- raised Flores' average from .224 to .255.
The Mets (44-37) outscored the Cubs (51-30) 32-11 in a rematch of last year's National League Championship Series, which New York also swept in four games.
This sweep was decidedly unexpected given where both teams were just four days ago. The Mets entered the series on a four-game losing streak and scored just 30 runs in 12 games between June 17 and June 29. The Cubs, meanwhile, swept the Cincinnati Reds prior to arriving in New York and began the series with the best record in baseball.
Any hope the Cubs had of salvaging Sunday's finale disappeared in the second inning, when Flores' homer was followed by a two-run homer by Rene Rivera and RBI singles by Curtis Granderson, Yoenis Cespedes, Neil Walker and Flores off reigning National League Pitcher of the Month Jon Lester, who allowed eight runs in a career-low 1 1/3 innings.
Granderson (first inning) and Kelly Johnson (seventh inning) also homered for the Mets, who hit five home runs for the second time in three games. Rivera finished with three RBIs.
The Mets finished with a season-high 22 hits. Seven players had at least two hits and winning pitcher Noah Syndergaard doubled in the sixth to give New York a hit from every starter.
Syndergaard cruised to the win after allowing one run on seven hits and no walks while striking out eight over seven innings.
Anthony Rizzo had an RBI single in the first to give the Cubs a short-lived lead while Willson Contreras homered leading off the ninth. Javier Baez scored on a wild pitch later in the inning.
Lester allowed nine hits and issued one walk while striking out two as his ERA rose from 2.03 to 2.67.
Backup catcher Miguel Montero threw the final 1 1/3 innings for the Cubs and allowed one run on four hits.
NOTES: The Cubs placed OF Chris Coghlan (right rib cage strain) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled INF Jeimer Candelario from Triple-A Iowa. Coghlan has been battling discomfort for several days and left Saturday's game after three innings. Candelario arrived Sunday morning and batted sixth while playing third base in his major league debut. ... The Cubs reached the midway point of the season on a 100-win pace for the first time since 1977, when they were 51-30 after 81 games and finished 81-81. ... Mets RF Curtis Granderson (right calf) returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Tuesday. ... Mets SS Asdrubal Cabrera, who is battling a minor knee injury, was out of the lineup for just the fourth time this season.