Imanaga stellar as Cubs hang on to edge Mets
NEW YORK (AP) — Shota Imanaga continued the historic start to his big league career on Wednesday night, throwing seven innings to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 1-0 win over the New York Mets.
Imanaga (5-0), making his sixth start, allowed three hits and walked one with seven strikeouts to lower his ERA to 0.78. Entering Wednesday, the 30-year-old was the first pitcher since 1901 to go 4-0 with a sub-1.00 ERA and at least 28 strikeouts in his first five starts.
The Mets got two on against Mark Leiter Jr. in the eighth before Yency Almonte struck out Tyrone Taylor and Starling Marte. Hector Neris got his fifth save when he hit Pete Alonso with one out in the ninth and gave up a double to J.D. Martinez before getting Jeff McNeil to hit into a double play. McNeil flew out to left and Alonso was thrown out at home by Ian Happ.
Former Mets farmhand Pete Crow-Armstrong — who was dealt to Chicago for Javier Báez at the 2021 trade deadline — had a sacrifice fly in the fifth, four pitches after his bat flew out of his hands and landed in the netting above the home dugout when he missed an offering from New York starter Jose Butto. The bat was retrieved by Citi Field security immediately after the sacrifice fly that drove in Matt Mervis.
Butto (0-2) gave up four hits in six innings for the Mets, whose starting pitchers have posted a 1.33 ERA in the last four games. He struck out six.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: RHP Justin Steele (left hamstring strain), who was injured Opening Day, began a rehab assignment Wednesday, when he allowed three runs over 3 1/3 innings for Triple-A Iowa. Manager Craig Counsell said he wasn't sure if Steele would make another rehab start before rejoining the major league team. … RHP Kyle Hendricks (lower back strain) is scheduled to start and throw 75-80 pitches Thursday for Double-A Tennessee.
Mets: SS Francisco Lindor (flu-like symptoms) was 0 for 1 before exiting after the second inning. Lindor has missed just three out of a possible 354 games since the start of 2022. … Marte, who didn't play Tuesday after being activated from the bereavement list, went 0 for 4 in his first action since Friday. … RHP Kodai Senga (shoulder) felt good after throwing live batting practice Monday and is slated to do so again Saturday UP NEXT
The four-game series concludes Thursday when Mets RHP Adrian Houser (0-3, 8.37 ERA) opposes Cubs RHP Ben Brown (0-1, 4.30 ERA).