The New York Mets sought to complete a four game sweep of the Chicago Cubs. It was just the rare story of the Mets getting outpitched.

What makes it frustrating was Marcus Stroman was superb. After he allowed a two run homer to Javier Baez in the first, he just completely and utterly shut down the Cubs allowing just two more hits.

Stroman’s final line was 7.0 innings, four hits, two earned, one walk, and eight strikeouts. This should’ve been good enough to win, but he didn’t.

The reason was Kyle Hendricks, a very good starter in his own right, was just better than Stroman. That’s partially because while Baez got the big hit for the Cubs, the Mets didn’t get that big hit.

While Hendricks allowed just two hits and two walks over seven innings, the Mets STILL had their chances. In fact, there were three good ones which went nowhere.

Jonathan Villar doubled to lead off the first. Billy McKinney hit a one out double in the second. Both would be stranded.

In the fourth, Hendricks got himself into trouble waking Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith to start the inning. That rally fizzled when James McCann hit into a double play.

And that was it. The Mets wouldn’t get another base runner. The Cubs didn’t do much of anything either, but that didn’t matter as much to them as they already got their two runs in the first.

In the end, the Mets still took three of four and they’ve won five of seven from the Padres and Cubs. That’s not a bad stretch.

Game Notes: This was the second straight start Stroman struck out eight. That’s his season high, and he’s done that four times this year.