Cubs 2, Mets 1: Nico Hoerner’s sac fly gives the Cubs a series sweep

The Cubs had a decent chance to score in the sixth. Hoerner singled with one out. Michael Busch hit one up the middle, but [Francisco Lindor made a great stop to retire Busch VIDEO].

After that, Alex Bregman and Ian Happ walked to load the bases, but Seiya Suzuki struck out to end the inning.

The Cubs got good relief work from Jacob Webb (1.1 scoreless innings, probably his best outing as a Cub) and their two Martins. Riley Martin threw a scoreless eighth and Corbin Martin, making his Cubs debut, had a scoreless ninth.

So the Cubs trailed 1-0 going to the bottom of the ninth, and as I said above… things did not look good. But Happ led off the inning off Devin Williams with a single. Scott Kingery was sent in to run for Happ. Suzuki struck out, and Craig Counsell sent Conforto up to bat for Matt Shaw.

Conforto came through to tie the game 1-1 [VIDEO].

Conforto thus represented the winning run on second with one out, but Saturday’s hero Carson Kelly struck out, and then PCA also struck out to send the game to extras.

Caleb Thielbar threw the 10th for the Cubs and retired the first two hitters on pop flies, one to second and one to short left. A ground ball that Nico had no play on went for a hit, but the placed runner (Melendez) had to hold at third.

Thielbar struck out Luis Torrens on a high fastball to end the inning [VIDEO].

PCA was the placed runner and former Cub Craig Kimbrel relieved for the Mets. Dansby Swanson tried to bunt him to third and popped both attempts foul. But then Kimbrel threw a wild pitch, sending PCA to third and accomplishing what a sac bunt would have. Swanson, though, struck out.

That brought up Nico [VIDEO].

Hoerner did what was needed, sending a fly to right deep enough to score PCA and the Cubs had their series sweep. Here are some postgame comments from Nico [VIDEO].

More on the walk-off win from BCB’s JohnW53:

Based on my research, this was the Cubs’ 999th walk-off win in regular-season games since 1876, first year of the National League.

It was their 901st since 1901, first year of the Modern Era, and their 796th at Wrigley Field.

Of all 999, 957 have come at home.

This was Hoerner’s fourth. He is among 420 Cubs who have done it.

(In case you are wondering how a team could have a walk-off win on the road, in baseball’s early days, teams could choose to bat first at home. In cases like that, the visiting team could have a walk-off win. In practice that hasn’t been done in more than 100 years, but the home team officially batting last wasn’t codified in the rules until 1950.)

It wasn’t pretty, but wins are wins, as you surely know, and when a team comes into Wrigley Field in as much disarray as the Mets appear to be in, it’s good to take advantage, and the Cubs did in multiple ways. Sunday, it was solid pitching and timely hitting.

An annoying little rainshower hit the area around Wrigley not long after the game started and lasted maybe 15-20 minute before passing out of the area. The sun came out, making it a reasonably pleasant afternoon after that, and forecasts are for dry conditions for the rest of the homestand.

The Cubs will open a four-game series against the Phillies Monday evening at Wrigley, hoping to extend the five-game winning streak that began last Tuesday against the Phillies in Philadelphia. It’ll be a pitching rematch of that game, with Colin Rea going against Aaron Nola. (Yes, I know Riley Martin started that game, but it was basically Rea vs. Nola. Let’s hope for a similar result, as the Cubs won that game 10-4.) Game time Monday is 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.