Kodai Senga struggles again as Mets' skid hits nine games with 12-4 loss to Cubs

CHICAGO — The Kodai Senga renaissance isn’t going as planned. But then again, nothing for the Mets is going as planned so far this year.

Coming off the worst start of his career, Senga lasted only 3 1/3 innings Friday, in a 12-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Mets’ losing streak has now reached nine, the most consecutive losses since they lost 11 in 2004.

A few hours before the series opener, the Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns affirmed the club’s commitment to manager Carlos Mendoza. Stearns mostly addressed the Mets’ lack of offense, and while a revamped lineup struggled against right-hander Edward Cabrera, there were other reasons for concern against the Cubs (10-9).

Senga has given up 13 earned runs in his last two starts. Despite good velocity and bad swings on the cutter, Senga couldn’t locate early in counts. He caught a break with Michael Busch, the Cubs’ No. 2 hitter, getting a ball four call overturned to bring the count full with one out, but he still ended up walking him when he threw his forkball in the dirt.

Alex Bregman singled to load the bases. Senga struck out Ian Happ for the second out, but he gave up an RBI single to Seiya Suzuki. Moisés Ballesteros teed off on the first pitch he saw, sending it over the left-field fence for a three-run homer, putting the Mets in a 4-0 hole.

They nearly came back to tie in the second inning, when Marcus Semien hit an RBI single, and with one out, Tyrone Taylor cleared the bases with a hit off the center-field wall. The speedy outfielder was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double, and the Mets did not challenge the call.

The next inning, Senga walked with one out, then gave up another home run, this one to . The Mets had Huascar Brazobán warming up as early as the third inning when Senga had two on with one out, but a double play got him out of it.