Francisco Lindor came off the bench to spark a sixth-inning comeback with a two-run double and then delivered a game-ending two-run single in the 11th inning for the New York Mets, who edged the Chicago Cubs 7-6 to split a four-game series.
The Cubs’ Nick Madrigal had a go-ahead RBI double in the top of the 11th, but Mets right fielder Starling Marte threw out Madrigal trying to score on a two-out hit by Mike Tauchman before the Mets came back against Daniel Palencia (0-1).
The Mets’ Harrison Bader was hit by a pitch leading off the 11th inning before Lindor hit a 3-2 pitch the opposite way to the left-field corner. Automatic runner Brett Baty scored the tying run and Bader slid in with the winning run as shortstop Dansby Swanson bobbled the relay.
Lindor did not start the game because of an illness.
The Mets trailed 4-0 and were no-hit through four innings by Cubs rookie Ben Brown before starting their comeback. Brandon Nimmo and Marte had RBI singles for New York in the fifth.
The Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong laced an RBI double in the sixth to give Chicago a 5-2 lead. Lindor, who left Wednesday’s game after two innings with flu-like symptoms, laced a pinch-hit two-run double and scored the tying run on Nimmo’s double two batters later.
Marte preserved the tie in the 10th, when he threw out Christopher Morel trying to score from third on Patrick Wisdom’s fly out to right to cap an inning-ending double play.
Danny Young (1-0), who was making his Mets debut Thursday, allowed the unearned run in the 11th. Bader had two hits for New York.
Crow-Armstrong hit into a run-scoring groundout in the second and Christopher Morel hit a three-run homer in the fifth for the Cubs. Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch had two hits each.
Mets starter Adrian Houser gave up four runs on four hits with four walks while striking out two over five innings. Brown allowed two runs on three hits and five walks while striking out five over 4 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media