Anthony Rizzo hit a pair of home runs to power the Cubs to a 6-2 win over the Mets at Wrigley Field. Rizzo hit a solo shot in the third and a two-run blast in the fifth for his 23rd and 24th home runs of the season. Addison Russell went 3-for-3 with a two-run double for Chicago. Kyle Hendricks pitched six-and-a-third shutout innings for the Cubs, who took two-of-three in the series.
Bartolo Colon was touched for all six runs in less than five frames to fall to 8-and-5 with the loss. Wilmer Flores hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to break up the shutout for the Mets.
The Cubs open up a series in Milwaukee tomorrow night.
The Cubs added bullpen help Wednesday by acquiring
left-hander Mike Montgomery from the Seattle Mariners for first
baseman and designated hitter Dan Vogelbach.
Chicago also obtained right-handed prospect Jordan Pries in the
deal. Right-hander Paul Blackburn also goes to Seattle.
The 27-year-old Montgomery has a 2.34 ERA in two starts and 30
relief appearances with the Mariners this season. The former first
round pick of Kansas City was traded to Tampa Bay in the 2012 James
Shields deal, when the Cubs' Joe Maddon was managing Tampa Bay.
Maddon described Montgomery as ''big left-hander with a very good
arm.''
Cubs president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer was looking for a
boost in the bullpen with Travis Wood and Clayton Richard the only
healthy left-handers. The NL Central leading-Cubs are likely to
seek more reinforcements as they aim for the club's first World
Series title since 1908.
''Every day they come down and talk to me postgame about what their
thoughts are,'' Maddon said after Wednesday's 6-2 win over the New
York Mets. ''They're obviously very good at piecing everything
together. I just give my suggestions when asked. We're working
diligently every day, and Mike Montgomery is a nice fellow.''
Vogelbach, 23, was hitting .318 with 16 homers and 64 RBIs in 89
games for Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs selected Vogelbach in the second
round of the 2011 amateur draft.
Pries, 26, had a 4.93 ERA in Double-A Jackson and Triple-A Tacoma
this season. The 22-year-old Blackburn had a 3.17 ERA in 18 starts
with Double-A Tennessee.
