Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 5, Mets 1 – July 18, 2016
After eight straight unsuccessful attempts to beat the Mets, at varying degrees of competitiveness, the Cubs finally did the deed tonight.
Jon Lester struggled badly in his last two outings before the break – one of which came against these Mets, and it was the worst start of his career – but he looked like a renewed man in this one, working the edges well, getting out of the two modest jams in which he found himself, and allowing only a solo home run.
Anthony Rizzo struck the big blow for the Cubs in this one, with a three-run homer that came at the tail end of a beautiful 10-pitch at bat. The Cubs tacked on a couple insurance runs, and although things got the tiniest bit snug in the 9th, Javy Baez finished things off with a nifty tag-and-throw double play at second base.
Cubs win! Cubs beat the Mets!
