 got four outs for his first victory since he was acquired in a deal with Cleveland last week.McNeil's two-run shot off Yu Darvish gave New York a 3-2 lead in the third inning. With two outs and Adeiny Hechavarria on second in the seventh, McNeil pulled an RBI single into right field to break a 4-all tie.McNeil also played right as part of an unusual defensive lineup by manager Mickey Callaway, who was looking for more offense after New York lost 7-4 on Thursday night in the opener of the four-game series. He got his first major league action in right when he played two innings at the position May 21 against Washington.Addison Russell hit a two-run homer for Chicago, which dropped to 2-2 on a 10-game homestand. Brad Brach (3-2) got the loss after surrendering Hechavarria's leadoff single in the seventh.The Cubs had one last chance in the ninth, but Edwin Diaz worked a perfect inning for his 16th save.Darvish allowed four runs and four hits in six innings in his 10th consecutive no-decision, extending a franchise record. He became the first traditional starting pitcher with 10 straight no-decisions since Philadelphia's Randy Lerch in 1977.While Darvish was just OK on the mound, he had quite a day at the plate.He slapped a two-out RBI single through the right side to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead in the second. He led off the fifth with a bouncer up the middle for another base hit, and Russell followed with a drive into the bleachers in left for his fifth homer.The 32-year-old Darvish entered with one hit this season and six for his career.Russell's first homer since May 28 made it 4-3, but the Mets tied it in the sixth. Darvish struck out Pete Alonso and Robinson Cano before Conforto went deep for his 15th of the season.WORTH WATCHINGIf Craig Kimbrel sails through his second appearance with Triple-A Iowa on Friday night, he could pitch for the minor league club again on Saturday. The 31-year-old Kimbrel is ramping up after finalizing a three-year contract with Chicago on June 7 that guarantees the closer $43 million.MULLING IT OVERThe Cubs are contemplating various options for their rotation after Adbert Alzolay's successful major league debut Thursday night. Alzolay pitched in relief of Tyler Chatwood, but the right-handers could switch places next time the spot comes up. The team also could go with a six-man rotation to provide some rest for its starters before the All-Star break.''We have an idea, yes, but we're not ready to disclose it,'' manager Joe Maddon said. ''It's still in the discussion stage.'' TRAINER'S ROOMMets: LHP Justin Wilson (elbow soreness) got an MRI that showed no structural damage, and Callaway said the reliever will throw a bullpen in the next couple days. ''He got reaffirmation from the doctors that he's going to be OK,'' Callaway said. ''He understands that it's something that's going to be there maybe at times and he can push through it.'' Wilson was scratched from a rehab appearance at Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday. ''I really just need to be able to pitch without discomfort,'' Wilson said. ''We're just trying to get it to where it's manageable.'' Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (shoulder inflammation) played catch one day after he went through a full shoulder workout. ''The initial reports are that he's feeling good, but we're not ready to talk through a plan yet or a progression,'' general manager Jed Hoyer said.UP NEXTMets right-hander Zack Wheeler (5-5, 4.94 ERA) and Cubs left-hander Jose Quintana (4-6, 3.87 ERA) pitch on Saturday afternoon. Wheeler has dropped his last two starts, allowing four earned runs in six innings in a 12-3 loss at Atlanta on Monday night. Quintana is 0-5 with a 4.30 ERA over his last eight outings.---Jay Cohen can be reached at https://twitter.com/jcohenap---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Darvish, Vargas face off as Cubs host MetsFLMChicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish officially put an unpleasant chapter of his career in the rearview mirror in his previous start Saturday. On Friday afternoon, the visiting New York Mets hope Jason Vargas can begin doing the same thing for them.The Mets will look to the oldest member of their rotation to provide some much-needed stability when the left-handed Vargas (3-3, 3.74 ERA) takes the mound against the right-handed Darvish (2-3, 4.65 ERA) and the Cubs in the second game of a four-game series.The Cubs came back from an early three-run deficit to earn a 7-4 win in the series opener Thursday night, when Anthony Rizzo gave Chicago the lead for good with a two-run double during a six-run third inning. Rookie Adbert Alzolay tossed four innings of one-hit relief and earned the victory in his big-league debut.The fourth loss in five games for the Mets came hours after pitching coach Dave Eiland and bullpen coach Chuck Hernandez were fired and replaced by Phil Regan and Ricky Bones, respectively. New York, which also added minor league pitching coordinator Jeremy Accardo to the big-league staff as a "pitching strategist," entered Thursday with the 11th-worst ERA in the majors (4.67) and the third-worst bullpen ERA (5.38)."I think if you look at our performance, it's hard to say that we made a change to our coaching staff because we woke up with a new feeling in our stomach," first-year Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said during a press conference at Wrigley Field. "I think that our performance has shown that we can be better. And if we have an opportunity to be better with new coaches, then we're going to do everything in our power to try to give that a chance." Darvish's winless streak reached nine starts -- a span in which he hasn't recorded a decision -- on Saturday, but he still shed some demons by limiting the two-time defending National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers to one run on two hits while striking out 10 over seven innings in the Cubs' 2-1 win.It was Darvish's first appearance at Dodger Stadium since he took the loss for Los Angeles in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series, when he allowed five runs (four earned) in just 1 2/3 innings as the Houston Astros won their first title with a 5-1 victory."This was really important in my life," Darvish told reporters following Saturday's start. "I think now I can move forward. I pitched good here." Vargas didn't factor into the decision in his most recent start Sunday, when he allowed three runs (two earned) over four innings before exiting with cramping in his legs in the Mets' 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The 36-year-old southpaw said afterward he felt fine and his between-starts routine was not impacted.Darvish is 1-0 with a 3.26 ERA in three career starts against the Mets. Vargas is 3-0 with a 3.96 ERA in six starts against the Cubs.--Field Level Media
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