Rizzo Goes Deep Twice, Hendricks Keep Strong Work Up In Cubs' 6-2 Win Over Mets
CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Rizzo homered twice off Bartolo Colon, Kyle Hendricks pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the Mets, 6-2, on Wednesday to take two of three in the rematch of last year's NL Championship Series.
Rizzo pulled a slider to right for a solo homer in the third, a drive that would have traveled 451 feet had it landed at ground level unimpeded, according to MLB's Statcast program. Two innings later with a runner on, he sent a fastball into the right-field bleachers, estimated at 436 feet by Statcast.
Rizzo also hit a two-run homer in Monday's victory as the Cubs rebounded from a four-game sweep in New York this month. Chicago has won five of its last seven overall.
Hendricks (9-6) gave up seven hits and hasn't allowed an earned run in his last three appearances. He lowered his ERA to 2.27, third best in the majors.
With the Mets wearing 1986 replica road uniforms, Colon (8-5) gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Wilmer Flores hit his fifth home run in eight games, a two-run drive off Travis Wood in the eighth.
About 15 hours after loading the bases with no outs in the ninth and failing to score in a 2-1 loss, the Cubs wasted no time in a similar situation.
Addison Russell, who had three hits, doubled in two runs with the bases full and two outs in the first to put the Cubs ahead against Colon, who labored on a warm, humid afternoon.
Javier Baez added an RBI single off Antonio Bastardo in a three-run fifth as the Cubs completed a 4-2 homestand.
New York, resting several starters ahead of a series in Miami, wasted chances.
Juan Lagares hit into an inning-ending double play with runners at first and third base in the second. James Loney was thrown out at the plate by Jason Heyward to end the fourth when the center fielder charged Kelly Johnson's single and made a perfect one-hop throw to catcher Miguel Montero, who barely had to move his mitt. Michael Conforto hit into an inning-ending double play against Carl Edwards Jr. in the seventh.
AGE OF BARTOLO
The 43-year-old Colon is 219 days older than Cubs president Theo Epstein.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: OF Yoenis Cespedes, who returned Monday from a strained right quadriceps, sat out. Manager Terry Collins said Cespedes is "not close to being 100 percent." . 2B Neil Walker and SS Asdrubal Cabrera also rested.
Cubs: CF Dexter Fowler (hamstring) was to begin a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment Wednesday night at Triple-A Iowa.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Logan Verrett (3-6) faces Marlins LHP Adam Conley (6-5) on Friday night.
Cubs: RHP Jason Hammel (8-5) starts Friday night at Milwaukee and RHP Jimmy Nelson (6-7).
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
