Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (5/24/23): Cubs 4, Mets 2 – Stroman Grounds Mets to Ensure Series Win

The Cubs went into Wednesday’s game looking for their first series win in over two weeks as they hosted the Mets on a chilly night at Wrigley. They were able to do just that with the help of an outstanding starting pitching performance.

Marcus Stroman was very sharp early, getting a ton of outs on the ground. His only mistake came in the top of the 3rd inning when young catcher Francisco Alvarez homered to center to give New York a 2-0 advantage.

Chicago bounced right back with three off of Kodai Senga in the bottom of the frame. Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki hit back-to-back RBI doubles to tie the score, then Mike Tauchman slashed an opposite-field single to left that scored Suzuki with the go-ahead run.

Nico Hoerner powered a solo home run that cut through the wind blowing in from left to double the Cubs’ lead in the 6th. Stroman went eight strong innings, recording a whopping 17 outs on the ground. Mark Leiter Jr. got a chance to close out the game in the 9th and retired the side in to earn the save. (Box score)

Nico knocks it out!#NextStartsHere pic.twitter.com/hlggaEOrqF

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 25, 2023

Key Moment

Alvarez, who had homered earlier, came up with runners on first and third and one out in the 8th. Stroman induced him to ground to shortstop for an inning-ending double play to preserve the lead.

Why the Cubs Won

They got a great effort from the starter and had one big rally to provide the run support.

Stats That Matter

• Stroman was ultra-efficient on Wednesday night and four double plays certainly helped: 8 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 3 K, and 2 BB.
• Ian Happ had a couple hits, as did Tauchman.
• Christopher Morel had a single but his home run and extra-base hit streaks ended.

Bottom Line

The Cubs finally were able to win a series, a very nice change of pace from their recent struggles. Stroman was on top of his game and made some Gold Glove-worthy defensive plays along the way. Chicago also had a rare drama-free save situation, more of that please.

On Deck

The North Siders attempt to complete the sweep of the Mets Thursday at 6:40pm CT. Kyle Hendricks is back and starting against fellow veteran Carlos Carrasco with coverage on MLB Network (out of market only), Marquee, and 670 The Score.