The good vibes didn’t keep on rolling Tuesday at Citi Field.
Mike Tauchman’s go-ahead solo homer off of Drew Smith in the top of the eighth inning proved to be the difference as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Mets, 3-2, in the second of a three-game set.
The low-scoring affair needed only one late-inning swing as the Amazins’ had no answer for former Yankee Jameson Taillon. Taillon put together a stellar performance pitching deep into the game.
The 31-year-old tossed seven innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out seven. He held the Mets scoreless after a first-inning, two-run jack off the bat of Pete Alonso as Buck Showlter’s squad went silently into the night in the final eight frames.
Smith squandered a valiant pitching effort from Carlos Carrasco, who turned in a strong performance. The starter got some help from horrible Cubs’ baserunning in the fifth after the road team made two outs on the basepaths.
The right-hander tossed five innings allowing, two runs on three hits while striking out five. The two blips on his line came off the bats of the resurgent Cody Bellinger — who ripped his 17th homer of the season in the fourth — and Yan Gomes, who added a game-tying RBI double in the fifth.
The veteran pitcher has struggled mightily this season, entering the evening with a 6.60 ERA. It’s just the sixth time this season Carrasco has tossed at least five innings while giving up two runs or less.
Alonso’s homer got the Mets off to another strong start — a night after snapping a six-game losing streak — hitting his second first-inning homer in the past two games. Alonso smashed a two-run homer just above the wall in dead center — that was later confirmed by video review after initially being ruled a double — granting the Mets an early 2-0 lead.
The first baseman’s third homer in his past two games was his 34th of the season as his torrid stretch continues. His OPS has jumped up to .843 from as low as .776 on July 20.
Jeff McNeil found himself in the box with runners on first and third with two outs in the bottom of the eighth with his squad down just one run. McNeil rolled over to second ending the threat.
Aside from Smith serving up the go-ahead homer to Tauchman, the Mets’ stable was mostly solid after Carrasco’s effort. Phil Bickford and Trevor Gott each tossed scoreless frames followed by Josh Walker and Adam Ottavino’s scoreless efforts. However, the Cubs’ bullpen was just as effective as Julian Merryweather and Adbert Alzolay got the final six outs to secure the 3-2 victory for Chicago.
The Amazins’ will turn to southpaw David Peterson (5.65 ERA) to get the series victory Wednesday night in the finale against the Cubs at Citi Field. Veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks (3.98 ERA) will toe the slab for David Ross’ club as they remain in the thick of the NL Wild Card race. The Cubs ended Tuesday tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the final Wild Card spot.
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