The New York Mets (35-40) defeated the Chicago Cubs (41-33) Friday afternoon by a score of 5-4 at Wrigley Field.

Pitching

Jason Vargas got the start on the mound vs the Chicago Cubs this afternoon at Wrigley Field. Vargas has a 3-0 record against the Cubs lifetime in his career. He pitched 4 and 2/3 innings, allowed two earned runs, walked two, struck out three batters. The southpaw didn’t get the decision today.

Newly acquired reliever Brooks Pounders was called in from the bullpen in the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs to work with. He was successful getting the third out of the inning keeping the game tied at 4-4. He pitched on into the sixth giving up no earned runs. Pounders was the winning pitcher of the game getting his first win as a Met.

Seth Lugo pitched a perfect seventh and eighth inning, he allowed two hits, and no earned runs. He has allowed only one earned run over his last 23.2 innings.

Edwin Diaz closed out the game with an 1-2-3 inning, this was his 16th save of the year and a much needed boost for the Mets closer.

Offense

In the top of the second inning, Michael Conforto got the inning started with a lead-off walk against Yu Darvish. Next batter J.D. Davis hit an opposite field single to right field, Conforto moved from first to third. Dominic Smith had a chance to drive in the two runners at first and third with no outs. Smith ended up grounding out into a double play, but Conforto did come into score the first run of the ballgame getting the Mets to a 1-0 lead.

Tomas Nido the next following inning started off with a base hit to left field. After Jason Vargas struck out looking, Jeff McNeil came up to bat showing some power off hitting a go-ahead two-run homer, giving the team their second lead of the night going ahead 3-2.

Michael Conforto tied the game in the top of the 6th with a solo tying homer at 4-4. Conforto’s home run was his 16th home run of the year.

Jeff McNeil was clutch getting a base-hit against the southpaw driving in the go-ahead run of the game, Adeiny Hechavarria came around to score to give the Mets a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh inning.

McNeil had two hits on the day, Davis was on base three times, and Pete Alonso had a rare 0-for-4.

On Deck

The New York Mets will be playing their third game of the series on Saturday afternoon. They will look to collect their second win in a row as Zack Wheeler (5-5, 4.95 ERA) is on the mound as he opposes left-hander Jose Quintana  (4-6, 3.87 ERA). Game time will be in the afternoon at 2:20 p.m. ET.