Cubs finally find way to beat Mets
CHICAGO -- Jon Lester returned to late-spring form while Anthony Rizzo clubbed his 22nd home run of the season as the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 5-1 Monday.
Lester (10-4) picked up his first victory since June 18 with an efficient 7 2/3-inning outing to open the three-game Wrigley Field series.
Cubs closer Hector Rondon faced one batter in the ninth to earn his 16th save as Travis d'Arnaud grounded into a game-ending double play.
Rizzo homered for the first time since July 8 at Pittsburgh as the Cubs (56-36) won their fourth in five games while snapping an eight-game losing streak against the Mets.
Matt Szczur went 3-for-4 for his first career three-hit game and Javier Baez added two hits while each scored a run.
The Mets (49-43) suffered their fourth loss in their last six.
New York starter Steven Matz (7-6) was pulled in the bottom of the sixth after giving up a lead-off double to Matt Szczur.
Catcher David Ross then sacrificed to center in the sixth off reliever Seth Lugo to drive in Szczur for a 4-0 lead. It was Ross' first game since July 5 after he missed part of the span while on the seven-day concussion disabled list.
Matz allowed four runs on eight hits in his five-inning outing, striking out five and walking one
The Mets got one run back on Wilmer Flores' first-pitch leadoff home run to left in the seventh, cutting the deficit 4-1.
Lester left in the eighth after giving up a two-out single to Curtis Granderson. He allowed one run on four hits, walked three and struck out three.
Lester had a run of five straight victories in June on the way to being named NL pitcher of the month. He followed with three no-decisions and loss over the next four games.
The Cubs added a final run as Albert Almora Jr's single scored Szczur with two out in the eighth.
The Mets failed to score despite having opportunities in the early innings.
New York put runners on first and second with none out in the second, but Asdrubal Cabrera grounded to third to start a double play and Juan Laggers bounced out to shortstop Addison Russell to end the inning.
In the third, the Mets had runners on first and third with two outs, but Yoenis Cespedes lined to short as Lester escaped unscathed.
The Cubs hit Matz for three runs in the third as Rizzo launched a 2-2 offering on the 10th pitch of the at-bat to the right-field bleachers. Rizzo's one-out blast brought home Baez, who had walked, and Kris Bryant, who was awarded first after he was hit by a pitch.
Willson Contreras followed with a ground-rule double after his long fly was lost in the left field ivy.
Contreras was thrown out at the plate after Matt Szczur singled to left and Cespades fired to catcher Travis d'Arnaud for a tag at home.
NOTES: The three-game series with the Cubs is the second set involving the teams this season. The Mets won all four in New York while Chicago claimed all seven regular-season games last year before being swept in the 2015 National League Championship Series. ... New York OF Curtis Granderson, who is a Chicago native, and several teammates will host a baseball clinic on Tuesday morning at a field named in his honor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. ... Mets manager Terry Collins said RHP Noah Syndergaard (9-4, 2.56 ERA) feels no aftereffects from arm fatigue suffered in his last start on July 8 as he approaches Tuesday's outing against Chicago. ... Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo saw an 11-game hitting streak snapped on Sunday, marking his third double-digit hitting streak this season. He hit .409 during the recent run. ... A well-rested RHP Jake Arrieta (12-4, 2.68 ERA) goes for the Cubs on Tuesday, looking to reverse a run of three losses in his last four starts. ... Cubs 2B Ben Zobrist had a second straight day off on Monday and will also be idle on a Thursday off-day in what Cubs manager Joe Maddon called a belated All Star break.