Caratini hits 2 homers off deGrom, Cubs sweep Mets
NEW YORK - Victor Caratini homered twice off Mets ace Jacob deGrom, including a tiebreaking, 3-run drive in the seventh inning that powered the Chicago Cubs past New York 4-1 Thursday night for a three-game sweep.
Jon Lester pitched 6 effective innings as the Cubs increased their lead for the second NL wild-card spot to 2½ games over Philadelphia.
The Mets lost their sixth in a row, all at Citi Field. Full of hope a week ago, they dropped 5 games behind Chicago.
Caratini lofted a solo homer in the second that made it 1-1. That was the Cubs' only hit until they struck in the seventh.
Kris Bryant hit a 1-out single off shortstop Amed Rosario's glove, and Javier Baez grounded a single up the middle. Caratini fell behind 1-2, fouled off two pitches and then pulled a line drive into the second deck in right field.
The crowd of 38,389 fell silent as the Cubs backup catcher rounded the bases with his ninth home run of the season and second career multihomer game. He became the fourth player to connect twice in a game against deGrom, joining Mitch Garver this year, Giancarlo Stanton in 2016 and Mark Teixeira in 2015.
DeGrom (8-8) had sparkled since late May, with a 1.88 ERA in that span. But the NL Cy Young Award winner got little run support, a familiar scenario for the All-Star righty.
DeGrom walked with his head down to the dugout when the inning ended and headed straight for a tunnel to the clubhouse.
J.D. Davis homered for the third straight game in the series and Wilson Ramos doubled, singled and extended his hitting streak to 22 games, the longest in the majors this season.
Lester (11-9) limited the Mets to 5 hits. After Tyler Chatwood and Brandon Kintzler each threw a scoreless inning, Craig Kimbrel closed for his 13th save in 15 chances.
Caratini got 3 hits as the Cubs won their seventh in a row at Citi Field since last year, their best winning streak while visiting the Mets since taking seven straight at Shea Stadium in 1991. This was Chicago's fifth consecutive road victory, a nifty achievement for a team that is 28-39 overall away from Wrigley Field.
Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (back tightness) hasn't played since Saturday. Manager Joe Maddon said he didn't expect Rizzo would be ready for the series opener against Milwaukee, adding, "I don't have any kind of specific date" for his return.
All-Star catcher Willson Contreras (strained right hamstring) is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment. Maddon estimated Contreras could rejoin the team in "a week or so."
Kyle Schwarber didn't start and struck out as a pinch-hitter. Tony Kemp started in his place and made three straight nice catches early in the game.