Arrieta returns to form, but Cubs fall to Mets 2-1

CHICAGO – Anthony Rizzo hit a three-run homer, Jon Lester pitched 72/3 innings and the Chicago Cubs stopped an eight-game losing streak against the New York Mets with a 5-1 victory on Monday night in a rematch of last year’s NL Championship Series.

Syndergaard, who was making his first outing since exiting his June 8 start early due to arm fatigue, hit triple digits in the first inning, assuaging any lingering concerns over the health of his arm.

“Sometimes you may have to do things that are hard”, Twins owner Jim Pohlad said.

“And that’s what we did”.

Syndergaard repeatedly flirted with danger but mostly came out unscathed in a no-decision.

Mets closer Jeurys Familia made it stand, but not before the Cubs loaded the bases against him with none out on a pair of walks and bunt single.

Rivera also went 3-for-4 and had the big hit that put NY in front in the top of the ninth.

The game remained tied until the top of the ninth inning, when the Mets got two men on with two out for Rivera. “I don’t think he wanted to go 3-2”, Rizzo said. “And thank God I did”.

Cleveland’s Corey Kluber scattered five and his team had a 2-0 advantage when he was removed in the eighth inning because of a calf cramp.

DETROIT – Matt Boyd (1-2) allowed three hits in six innings, sending last-place Minnesota to another loss just hours after it announced the firing of general manager Terry Ryan.

The victory evened the series at a game apiece heading into the finale Wednesday afternoon.

Tuesday’s game was originally touted as a showdown between two aces – Mets starter Noah Syndergaard and Cubs counterpart Jake Arrieta.

“That was a little more like it”, said Arrieta, who made his first start since July 8. It was a tough game overall really. Syndergaard on the other side he was good. “Just try to grind at-bats, that’s what we’re so good at doing”. One out later, Calhoun hit a fielder’s choice to second, driving in Bandy with the go-ahead run, and Trout followed with his homer over the left-field fence.

Arrieta had his highest strikeout total in a month and pitched seven innings for the first time since June 11.

Pedro Strop struck out Neil Walker with runners on first and second in the eighth.

He allowed one unearned run on seven hits, struck out eight and walked two while throwing 105 pitches. Syndergaard also joined Koji Uehara as the only pitchers with 50 or fewer walks at the time of their 300th strikeout since the pitcher’s mound was relocated to its current distance in 1893, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

In his first start against the Mets this season, Arrieta took the loss after giving up four runs in 5.1 innings.

“That’s really when I’m at my best, when I’m challenging guys on the first pitch putting them on the defensive side”, he said. “I expect to pitch more like this, as far as aggressiveness and keeping the ball down in the strike zone with everything”. I was using my off-speed (stuff) pretty well throughout the game. He bent but didn’t break during Chicago’s onslaught at the beginning of the game. NY had lost eight consecutive regular season games at Wrigley Field since 2013. When the catcher Rivera spun and fired the baseball wildly into left field, Contreras scampered home with the game’s opening run.

With the score tied 5-5 in the seventh, Jeff Bandy was hit by a pitch from Keone Kela (1-1) to start the bottom of the inning and moved to third on Simmons’ double.