It didn’t take very long — just five pitches into Thursday’s game in New York — for the Cubs to take a 2-0 lead.
Joc Pederson grounded out (two pitches). Kris Bryant singled (first pitch). And then Javier Báez sent Marcus Stroman’s second offering to him out of Citi Field.
Turned out, with another outstanding outing from Kyle Hendricks and lockdown bullpen work, that was all the Cubs would need for a 2-0 win over the Mets, ending a three-game losing streak and salvaging the final game of the four-game set. This win could have more significance later on.