Mets 8-5 Win Over Cubs Stalls Cincinnati's Hunt for Red October

Mets 8 Cubs 5 (Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL)

Mets record: 82-77

Mets streak: Won 1

L10 : 5-5

WP - Nolan McLean 5-1

LP - Shota Imanaga 9-8

SV - Edwin Diaz (28)

Seat on the Korner: Nolan McLean

We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.

Tonight’s Seat on the Korner goes to Nolan McLean, continuing the tradition Ralph Kiner started on WOR-Channel 9, where he would virtually invite the star of the game to his postgame studio chair. Despite an uneven sixth inning, McLean was dominant through five, allowing just two runs on two solo home runs while striking out 11 — a career high. This marks the fourth time in his nine starts since debuting on August 16 that he gets to sit down with Ralph, and it comes on the heels of an extraordinary start to his Mets career. Entering the game with a 1.27 ERA (6 ER/42.2 IP) — the lowest in franchise history through a player’s first seven starts — he surpassed Terry Leach’s 1.51 ERA and ranks fifth all-time dating back to 1975, trailing only Fernando Valenzuela (0.29), Shota Imanaga (1.08), Alex Colomé (1.13), and Jered Weaver (1.15). He also became the first pitcher in MLB history to throw at least five innings, strike out five or more, and allow two or fewer earned runs in each of his first seven career starts. His 46 strikeouts through those first seven games are the fourth-most in Mets history, behind Dwight Gooden (51), Nolan Ryan (50), and Matt Harvey (49), and he joins Grover Alexander (1911) as the only other player in Major League history to record 45 or more strikeouts while allowing six or fewer earned runs through their first seven career games.

The sixth inning brought drama as McLean tired slightly. Nico Hoerner struck out to start the frame, and Ian Happ drew a walk before Moisés Ballesteros lined a ground-rule double, moving Happ to third. Seiya Suzuki then crushed a three-run homer, cutting the lead to 8-5. Pete Crow-Armstrong singled later, and Carson Kelly flew out to end the threat. McLean finished the night with 5 1/3 innings, five hits, five runs, two walks, and three home runs allowed — but earned his fifth win in six decisions and pushed his ERA to 2.06. Through it all, he and Ralph Kiner would seem to be getting more comfortable with each other, making the “Seat on the Korner” feel like home for the rising Mets ace.

Need to Know

• The Mets came to bat tonight already knowing the out-of-town results — the Reds had won and the Diamondbacks had lost. With the scoreboard settled before first pitch, there was no need for scoreboard watching. Instead, the Mets could focus squarely on their own playoff push, knowing every win tightens their grip on the final postseason spot. The Win keeps the Mets in control of their destiny, maintaining a 1 game lead over Reds and extending their lead over Arizona to 2 games.

• With today’s victory, the Mets officially secured a winning season.

• The Mets continue their final road trip of the season, a six-game trip (2-1) to Chicago (2-1) and Miami (three games).

• Francisco Álvarez's lifetime numbers are 1-for-2 with a home run off Cubs starter Shota Imanaga, and over his last 10 games, he’s hitting .323 (10-for-31) with seven runs, two doubles, four homers, eight RBI, and three walks. Despite that hot stretch, Carlos Mendoza gave the start to Luis Torrens.

• Pete Alonso appeared in all 159 Mets games this year.Last

  season, he became the second Mets player to appear in every single game,

  joining Félix Millán (1975) - not including 20020...John Olerud appeared in 162 of 163 games during the 1999.

• Pete Alonso has appeared in 413 consecutive games, which is the second-longest streak in the majors (Matt Olson - 779 games, 5/2/21-current)...His streak of 412 consecutive games is the longest in team history.

• With Francisco Lindor’s third-inning home run, the Mets now have three players with 30 or more homers—Pete Alonso, Juan Soto, and Lindor. It marks the first time in franchise history that the Mets have had three players reach the 30-homer plateau in the same season.

• Francisco Lindor’s home run secured another 30/30 season for him, he joins Juan Soto (43/36 SB). and Howard Johnson (36 HR/32 SB) and Darryl Strawberry (39 HR/36 SB) in 1987 as the only pair of Mets teammates to have a 30/30 season...Along with the 1987 Mets, the 1996 Rockies are the only other team that featured two players with a 30/30 season - Dante Bichette (31 HR/31 SB) and Ellis Burks (40 HR/32 SB).

• Shota Imanaga has made three career starts vs. the Mets, going 1-2 with a 10.30 ERA (18 ER/15.2 IP).

• Pete Crow-Armstrong is still one home run shy of becoming the first

  Cubs player with 30 doubles, 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season... he is aiming to become the second Cubs player in franchise history with a 30 homer/30 stolen base season (also Sammy Sosa - 1993, 1995).

Turning Point

When you send a pitcher like Nolan McLain to the mound — a rookie sensation who started the night with a glistening 1.27 ERA — you know that if your offense strikes first, the game is already tilted in your favor. The Mets wasted no time doing just that, turning a quirky play into their first run of the night. With Francisco Lindor on third, Mark Vientos lifted a foul pop down the left side. Dansby Swanson made the catch, but his momentum carried him into the stands. By rule, when a fielder leaves the field of play, all baserunners advance one base — and Lindor was awarded home with the game’s opening run.

Moments later, Brandon Nimmo lined a sharp single to right to plate Pete Alonso, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead before the Cubs had even recorded three outs. Though Nimmo was picked off to end the inning, the early damage was done. Against McLain, those runs felt like a mountain. With his command and poise, that crooked number in the first was all the confidence he needed. The Mets had struck first, and with McLain dealing, they never looked back — padding the lead as the night wore on and turning an early spark into a decisive victory.

Three Keys

The Friendly Confines

The friendly confines lived up to its name, offering a welcoming atmosphere, compact dimensions. Its small size also lends itself to home runs, and the night’s action showcased that perfectly. Francisco Lindor's solo homer for the Mets in the third inning, while Brett Baty's three-run shot in the fourth, the Cubs got into the act as well, with Seiya Suzuki and sole shot and a three run homer and Dansby Swanson solo home run. In all, nine of the game’s 13 combined runs came via the long ball, proving once again how the park’s dimensions can turn power into instant impact.

The Leather Men

The game wasn’t just a showcase for the long ball — the defense put on a show of its own. Cubs catcher Carson Kelly set the tone with a slick grab.

The Mets answered with Brett Baty making a stunning barehanded play.

Not to be out done Ian Happ made an incredible diving catch that left fans gasping.

Matt Shaw flashed some leather of his own.and Pete Crow-Armstrong capped the night with another web gem in center field. From start to finish, both teams proved that while the long ball grabbed the headlines, the glove work was just as electrifying.

No Bull, Mets Pen Shuts it Down

One night after the Mets were forced to get 18 outs from the bullpen when Jonah Tong lasted just two innings, Carlos Mendoza took a strategic approach. Once the Mets fell behind 6-0, he deliberately avoided using his high-leverage relievers too early — a move that paid dividends. Tonight, the bullpen needed to cover 11 outs, and they delivered. Ryne Stanek recorded two of those outs, while Brooks Raley dominated in the seventh, striking out the side. Tyler Rogers handled the eighth for three more outs, and then got to watch his twin brother Taylor take the mound for the Cubs in the next half-inning. Edwin Díaz, fresh off a two-inning save on Tuesday, closed the game with a perfect ninth, earning his 28th save of the season — the 144th of his Mets career. After allowing a leadoff single to Carson Kelly, Díaz retired Pete Crow-Armstrong on a fly out and induced Dansby Swanson to hit into a 6-4-3 double play. The Mets bullpen finished with 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three, preserving the Mets hold on the final wildcard spot for another day.