CHICAGO — Francisco Alvarez did all he could to will his club to a victory Wednesday night at Wrigley Field going 2 for 3 with a two-run homer off former Mets right-hander Marcus Stroman. But the Mets’ bats were as cold as the nearly 20-mph winds blowing in from Lake Michigan and the offense produced little else in a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
The Mets, who came into the Windy City riding a five-game winning streak, dropped the series with their second straight loss.
Alvarez’s home run came in the top of the third. The biting winds that blew in from right field made life difficult for right-handed hitters, but Alvarez drove the ball right through the thick, icy air sending it back 390 feet for his sixth home run in his last nine games. Alvarez put the Mets up but the lead wouldn’t last long.
The Cubs (22-26) took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the frame.
Kodai Senga (4-3) masterfully got out of jams in the fourth and fifth innings to rebound from that rough, three-run third.
Down 3-2 in the fourth, Senga walked the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters to lead off. There were PitchCom issues that prompted Francisco Lindor to come to the mound and signal his translator, Hiro Fujiwara. Senga appeared rattled and took a step off the mound, getting called for a balk to advance the runners. The Mets got Tommy Hunter going in the bullpen.
Mets manager Buck Showalter came out to talk to the umpires, clearly agitated, but Senga settled down from there. He struck out Nico Hoerner, got Miles Mastrobuoni to pop up to shallow center field and Dansby Swanson grounded out to end the inning.
Senga had two on with two out in the fifth after Brett Baty deflected Christopher Morel’s line drive, but he struck out Matt Mervis to end the inning and end his night at three runs on six hits.
The right-hander threw a career-high 106 pitches, stranded eight runners and struck out six over five innings. But once again, walks were his downfall. He issued five free passes, one of which resulted in a run.
Drew Smith gave up a home run to Hoerner in the sixth to make it 4-2. Smith has now allowed runs in three straight appearances (four runs, three earned) after allowing only two baserunners in his previous five.
Stroman (4-4) limited the Mets to two earned runs on four hits, walked one and struck out three over eight innings. The Mets threatened in the eighth with runners on the corners, but the Long Island native got Alvarez to ground into an inning-ending double play. Mark Leiter Jr. converted his second save of the season by retiring the side in order in the ninth.
