The New York Mets have never come back from a nine-run deficit in their 58-year history to win a game. And although the Mets (67-65) tried and tried and never gave up, that streak remains intact as the Mets lost to the Chicago Cubs, 10-7 (Box Score).

Chicago (71-61) raced out to a 10-1 lead after three innings and held on to defeat the Mets for the second straight night. The Mets have lost five in a row and have fallen four games behind Chicago for the second NL Wild Card spot. The Mets have dropped six straight and seven of their last eight to the Cubs at home.

Noah Syndergaard had his worst start in his five-year career for the Mets. He gave up 10 runs (nine earned) and saw his ERA rise from 3.71 to 4.14. He gave up three home runs for the first time in any outing and also allowed a career-high six runs in a single frame.

It was the 14th time in history a Mets pitcher has allowed 10 runs. To their credit, the Mets chipped away at the Cubs lead, bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but could not get over the hump and overcome their large early deficit.

Jacob deGrom will need to be the stopper Thursday as he faces Jon Lester in the series finale. Lester has an 8.51 ERA in August.

Pitching

Noah Syndergaard made is 26th start of the year for the Mets. It wasn’t one of his best. After throwing eight straight quality starts prior to this game, Syndergaard suffered the worst inning of his career in terms of runs scored in the very first innings. Eleven Cubs came to the plate in the opening frame, six scoring, in a 39-pitch effort. It was the first time in his career that Noah had given up as many as six runs in an inning.

After lead-off batter Jason Heyward struck out, Syndergaard got ahead of Nicholas Castellanos before hitting him with a pitch. Kris Bryant followed with a single to put two men on. The inning (and perhaps, game) may have turned on the next at-bat. Javier Baez hit a slow grounder to short. Amed Rosario fielded it cleanly, but rather than take the sure out at first, he threw wildly to second past Joe Panik and all runners were safe. Castellanos scored to give Chicago the early lead.

Perhaps the error got to Syndergaard, as the next five Cub batters banged out hits. Kyle Schwarber doubled to make it 2-0. With runners on second and third, Addison Russell hit a bloop single to right, plating two more to make the score 4-0. Ian Happ then blasted a 2-run home run to finish the scoring. It was Happ’s fifth homer of the year. Victor Caratini followed with a single, but failed to score, mercifully, to ‘limit’ the damage to six runs.

In the second, the Cubs scored another pair to make the score 8-1. Bryant hit a fly ball that fell between J.D. Davis and Amed Rosario. Rosario seemed to have a beat on the ball, but it fell harmlessly to the turf for a double. Two batters later, Schwarber hit his 31st home run of the year to extend the Cubs lead.

Things didn’t improve in the third, as the Cubs tacked on two more against Syndergaard. Castellanos hit the third 2-run home run off of Noah to make the score 10-1. It was the 20th homer of the year for Cubs right fielder. The third inning would be the last for Syndergaard. His final line was: 3 IP, 9H, 10 R, 9 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 64 pitches  It has already been called by the New York press, the worst start in his five-year career.

Paul Sewald entered the game in the fourth and pitched an effective two innings for the Mets.

Brad Brach came in next, and he also pitched a solid two innings.

The eighth belonged to Edwin Diaz and he was strong as he struck out the side on 13 pitches. The Cubs had struck out 13 times to this point in the game.

Luis Avilan came in to pitch the ninth and retired the Cubs in order. The Mets bullpen pitched six innings of scoreless ball in the game.

Offense

The New York Mets managed 14 hits on the evening.

The Mets came to bat in the bottom of the first already behind by six runs. They had the potential to make things interesting as they loaded the bases with one out, but only managed one run. With one out, Davis singled to center, followed by a double to right by Michael Conforto. It was Conforto’s 22nd double of the year. Pete Alonso was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Davis scored on a force out by Wilson Ramos. Panik struck out to end the inning.

The Mets didn’t threaten in the second or third innings.

New York also didn’t score in the fourth but it was noteworthy nevertheless as Ramos singled to extend his hitting streak to 21 games. It’s the longest hitting streak in MLB in the last three years.

The fifth inning brought the Mets (and the Citi Field faithful) back into the game. With one out, Todd Frazier pinch hit for Sewald and doubled off the top of the wall in left. Jeff McNeil, who was battling an 0-for-9 ‘slump’, hit the first pitch he saw over the right-center field wall for a 2-run homer to make the score 10-3. It was McNeil’s 16th home run of the year. He has an amazing 70 extra-base hits in his young career.

Davis was next, and he also homered to right-center. It was Davis’ 17th homer of the year and the score was now 10-4. Conforto followed with a single, his second hit of the game. One batter later, Ramos was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Panik kept the line-up moving with a single to left to plate Conforto and make the score 10-5.

Cubs manager, Joe Maddon had seen enough of his starter, Kyle Hendricks, and replaced him with David Phelps. Phelps was greeted by Rosario who singled to score Ramos and bring the Mets to within four at 10-6. Hendricks could not hold a 10-1 lead and could not get the win as he was lifted after 4 2/3 innings.

The Mets threatened in the sixth as Frazier opened with a single, his second hit of the game. Kyle Ryan came into pitch, and gave up a single to McNeil. Davis hit into a double play and Conforto grounded out to end the threat.

The Mets faced Steve Cishek in the seventh. They tried to rally after two were out, but failed to score. After a walk to pinch-hitter Luis Guillorme and a single by Rosario to put runners on first and third, Maddon brought in his fifth pitcher of the night, Rowan Wick. Wick retired Juan Lagares on a fly-ball to center.

Wick remained in the game in the eighth and allowed an unearned run to make the game closer at 10-7. Frazier led off with a routine ground ball to third. Baez lazily threw the ball to first and pulled Happ off the bag and Frazier was aboard on the error. McNeil followed with another extra-base hit, a double to put runners on second and third with no one out. Davis struck out for the first out, then Conforto hit a grounder to second and was out on the fielder’s choice. On the play, Frazier scored to bring the Mets within three.

Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel, who has 334 saves in his career, came in to pitch the ninth. Ramos led off with a single followed by a walk to pinch-hitter Rajai Davis. Rosario grounded out, putting runners on first and third. Lagares struck out looking for the second out. Frazier flied out to center to end the game.

On Deck

The Mets try to salvage a win in the set against the Cubs on Thursday in the final game of the series. Jacob deGrom (8-7, 2.56 ERA) will take the ball for New York. The defending Cy Young Award has pitched like he wants to keep the honor as, since the All-Star break, he is 4-0 with a minuscule 1.04 ERA. He hasn’t given up more than two earned runs since June 28. Jake will be making his 27th start of the year.

The struggling Jon Lester will make the start for the Cubs. The 14-year veteran has started five times in August and is 1-3 with an 8.51 ERA. Lester is 6-1 lifetime against the Mets pitching to a 3.40 ERA.

The game will be televised on SNY and broadcast on WCBS-880 AM. First pitch is at 7:10 PM.