CHICAGO — Nolan McLean’s presence on the mound Thursday night time was the Mets’ greatest predictor of success, but they were going to want more than their de facto ace to protect their lead for the NL’s last wild card.
The Mets got all of it: Big swings. Defense. And a big enhance from a bullpen that has been pushed to the restrict this week.
Already figuring out the Reds had won and would assume place for the third and last wild card if they didn’t seize this collection rubber recreation against the Cubs, the Mets pounced early and held on for an 8-5 victory at Wrigley Field.
It left the Mets with a one-game lead on the Reds and forward of the Diamondbacks (who lost to the Dodgers) by two video games.
The Mets do not maintain the tiebreaker against either Cincinnati or Arizona, making it crucial they end at least one recreation forward.
It’s down to the last weekend, with the Mets opening a collection in Miami. The Reds play in Milwaukee. The D’backs play in San Diego.
One will emerge with a ticket to face the Dodgers in next week’s wild-card spherical.
Brett Baty introduced the thunder with a three-run homer, and Francisco Lindor also went deep on a night time the Mets acquired a mixed 3 2/3 innings of scoreless aid from Ryne Stanek, Brooks Raley, Tyler Rogers and Edwin Diaz.
Brett Baty gets a excessive 5 from Luis Torrens and congratulations from Brandon Nimmo (left) after belting a three-run homer in the fourth inning of the Mets’ 8-5 win over the Cubs on Sept. 25, 2025. David Banks-Imagn Images
McLean stormed into the sixth with a 6-1 lead, but never escaped the inning. He struck out a career-high 11, and also was tagged for the most earned runs (5) in any of his eight begins since his promotion from Syracuse.
Over 5 1/3 innings, he surrendered 5 hits and two walks as his ERA jumped from 1.27 to 2.06.
The Mets gave McLean a two-run lead before he even threw his first pitch. Pete Alonso’s double put runners on second and third — Lindor led off with a stroll — and Mark Vientos hit a pop-up, on which Dansby Swanson fell into the third-base grandstand as he caught it.
Francisco Lindor celebrates with teammates after belting a solo homer in the Mets’ win over the Cubs. Getty Images
Lindor was awarded home plate as a end result of Swanson falling into the stands.
Brandon Nimmo’s ensuing RBI single gave the Mets a 2-0 lead. Lindor homered in the third to prolong that lead to 3-0. The blast gave the Mets three gamers — Juan Soto and Alonso are the others — with at least 30 homers in a season for the first time in franchise historical past.
Lindor and Soto also grew to become the third pair of teammates in MLB historical past (becoming a member of Darryl Strawberry and Howard Johnson with the 1987 Mets and Ellis Burks and Dante Bichette with the 1996 Rockies) in the 30/30 club for homers and stolen bases.
Nolan McLean, who pitched into the sixth inning, picked up his fifth victory of the season in the Mets’ win over the Cubs. AP
Baty gave the Mets a lot of cushion with a three-run in the fourth that buried the Cubs in a 6-0 gap. Nimmo and Luis Torrens each singled before Baty went to the reverse subject and cleared the ivy in left against left-hander Shota Imanaga.
The homer was Baty’s 18th this season.
McLean dented in the fourth, when Seiya Suzuki homered with two outs to slice the Mets’ lead to 6-1.
Tyrone Taylor belts a two-run double in the seventh inning of the Mets’ win over the Cubs. David Banks-Imagn Images
Dansby Swanson blasted a homer in the fifth to give the Cubs their second run.
Entering the day McLean had allowed only one homer in his first seven main league begins. McLean’s inning started with a strikeout of Pete Crow-Armstrong. The strikeout was McLean’s ninth of the night time, a new profession excessive.
Before the inning concluded he struck out Matt Shaw for No. 10. Tyrone Taylor stroked a two-run double in the sixth that knocked out Imanaga and buried the Cubs in an 8-2 gap.
Nimmo and Baty each singled forward of Taylor, who returned from the injured listing a night time earlier to claim a share of the beginning middle subject job.
Suzuki’s second homer of the recreation, a three-blast in the sixth, pulled the Cubs within 8-5 and eliminated McLean, whose struggles started with one out: Ian Happ walked and Moises Ballesteros doubled him to third. Suzuki clobbered an 0-1 pitch into the left-field seats.
Stanek changed McLean and recorded the last two outs in the inning.
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