Mets lose hope in Chicago, but destiny remains in Flushing for now

Cubs 10 Mets 3 (Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL)

Mets record: 81-77

Mets streak: Lost 1

WP - Matthew Boyd (14-8)

LP - Jonah Tong (2-3)

SV - Aaron Civale (1)

Seat on the Korner:

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.

Could have given this to a million different Cubs, from Michael Busch to Ian Happ to Matt Shaw to Leon Durham to Tinker to Evers to Chance. But I'll go with Busch who had the most balanced game with two hits, two runs, and two RBI in a 10-2 Cubs drubbing of the Mets.

Need to Know

• The Reds loss to the Pirates keeps the Mets a game ahead the Redlegs for the final wild card spot in the National League. The Diamondbacks loss to the Dodgers keep the Mets up a game on them as well.

• Jonah Tong only lasted two innings as he gave up five earned runs in the third inning. His overall totals were five runs on seven hits and two walks while only striking out one.

• We got a Clay Holmes/Sean Manaea piggy back after Tong's short outing. But it wasn't their best. Holmes pitched the fifth after Richard Lovelady walked the leadoff batter, and two runs scored in the inning on an error and a wild pitch. Manaea would then pitch the 6th and give up a two run dinger to Michael Busch.

• Francisco Alvarez hit a two run homer in the 5th for the only life the Mets had all night. It's his second homer in two nights.

• Ryan Helsley pitched a scoreless 7th and 8th for his 6th scoreless outing in his last 7 games.

Turning Point

Tyrone Taylor seemed to briefly have the turning point when he threw out a runner at the plate in the 2nd inning, which led to Tong escaping that inning. But Tong couldn't escape the third as Ian Happ's two run double put the game on more of a straight path for Chicago.

Three Keys

Grilling Tong

Jonah Tong was just flat in the third inning. His curveball wasn't landing. His fastball wasn't elevated. His changeup was very hittable, and that was where the Cubs did most of their damage against Tong.

Tong has the stuff, but it's a work in progress.

The Metropolitan Health Clinic

Matthew Boyd has had a great season, but in his last six starts bofore tonight, he had an ERA of 6.54 in 31 and 2/3's innings. Anyone who knew that he was struggling knew what was coming next:

Five and 1/3 innings, two runs on just two hits.

It's been a theme all year.

Bad Defense, Bad Dream

It was a tough night for Mark Vientos. In that third inning, his positioning against lefty Moises Ballesteros was more along the lines of the positioning you would have against a righty pull hitter. It cost him ...

Then, after Alvarez's home run gave the Mets some life at 6-2, Vientos made a throwing error which would have been the third out. Instead, a run scored on it to make it 7-2. And then, PCA scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-2, then he dropped the night night on the Mets.

Not even Steph could have done it better.