CHICAGO -- So much for that momentum after taking four of five in Philly.
Mets pitchers issued eight walks and the Amazin’s twice left the bases loaded en route to a 5-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.
The Mets, who had been within six outs of reaching .500 on Tuesday, fell to 28-31.
Daisuke Matsuzaka
#16 RP
New York Mets
2014 STATS
- GM18
W2
L0
BB25
K34
- ERA3.21
They left the bases loaded in consecutive innings. Leading 4-2, Anthony Recker popped out in foul territory to end the top of the fifth. Then, trailing 5-4 in the sixth, Curtis Granderson had an inning-ending strikeout.
Dive at five: Making his first start since Rafael Montero’s demotion to Triple-A Las Vegas opened a rotation spot, Daisuke Matsuzaka had a forgettable performance. Matsuzaka was charged with four runs on four hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings.
The final two runs charged to him came after Dana Eveland inherited a pair of baserunners in the fifth. Eveland surrendered a single to Anthony Rizzo that loaded the bases, then a two-run single to Starlin Castro that evened the score at 4.
Eveland, in perhaps his final duty for the Mets for a while, reloaded the bases and departed.
Jeurys Familia entered and uncorked a wild pitch to the first batter he faced as the Cubs took a 5-4 lead. It marked the second straight game Familia entered with a runner on third base and threw a wild pitch to the first batter.
Eveland, the third lefty in the bullpen, may be the odd-man out later Wednesday evening. The Mets already have flown outfielder Andrew Brown in from Las Vegas with the intention of activating him for Thursday’s series finale. That would return the bench to its customary five players, but it requires trimming a bullpen arm.
Meanwhile, Matsuzaka -- or someone -- will need to fill a rotation role for what may be several turns. Dillon Gee has not even picked up a baseball in 10 days, since aggravating his strained right lat muscle trying to throw on flat ground at Citi Field.
Ate his Wheaties: When Ruben Tejada went deep in Philly on Saturday, it snapped his 552 at-bat homerless streak, which had been the longest active drought in the majors. Now, Tejada has two homers in a major league season for the first time in his career.
Tejada’s solo homer into a stiff wind in the fourth against Edwin Jackson gave the Mets a 4-2 lead.
Coupled with Wilmer Flores’ grand slam Monday in Philly, Mets shortstops have now produced three homers in the past five games.
What’s next: The Mets and Cubs complete the three-game series Thursday at 7:05 p.m. ET as Chicago bids for the sweep. Jacob deGrom (0-2, 2.42 ERA), still searching for his first major league win, opposes left-hander Travis Wood (5-5, 5.15). Daniel Murphy is scheduled to get his first day off since missing the opening two games of the season on paternity leave. The Cubs have not won three straight games this season.