The game was decided before most fans had settled into their seats. Chicago erupted for four runs in the first inning and cruised to a 12-4 victory over New York at Wrigley Field, snapping the Mets' eight-game losing streak in emphatic fashion.
Moises Ballesteros provided the knockout punch with a three-run homer to left field in the opening frame. The young catcher went 2-for-2 with three RBIs, raising his season average to .375 with three home runs and 10 RBIs through 18 games. Nico Hoerner added a two-run homer in the second inning and finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs, maintaining his .342 average.
The Cubs' offensive onslaught began when Suzuki singled to right, scoring Busch to open the scoring. Two batters later, Ballesteros launched his three-run blast, capping a four-run first inning that put Chicago in complete control. Hoerner's two-run homer in the second extended the lead to 6-3, and the Cubs added six more runs over the final five innings.
Edward Cabrera earned the victory with six innings of work, allowing eight hits and three runs while striking out four. The right-hander improved to 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA. Kodai Senga absorbed the loss for New York, lasting just 3.1 innings and surrendering seven runs on six hits. His struggles continued as his ERA climbed to 8.83.
Chicago improved to 9-9 and extended its winning streak to two games. New York fell to 7-12, with both teams sitting in fifth place in their respective divisions. Cabrera is five strikeouts away from 500 career strikeouts.