Peterson, Smith lead Mets to 5-2 home win over Cubs

NEW YORK - David Peterson pitched one-hit ball over six innings for his first win in two months, and the New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs at home for the first time in exactly four years with a 5-2 victory Monday night.

Dominic Smith homered for the Mets, who stopped Chicago’s five-game winning streak in the opener of a four-game series between NL division leaders. New York scored all its runs with two outs and snapped a seven-game skid at Citi Field against the Cubs that began on May 31, 2018.

Peterson (2-5) was 0-4 with a 6.32 ERA in his last nine starts, including 0-2 with a 9.88 ERA in his previous four appearances. But he allowed just a third-inning single to Eric Sogard — then picked him off second to end the inning — and a leadoff walk in the sixth to Sergio Alcantara. The second-year lefty struck out three in a tidy 73-pitch performance.

Jake Arrieta matched zeros with Peterson until the fourth, when Smith singled for New York’s first hit to break an 0-for-20 slump. He advanced to second when Billy McKinney drew a two-out walk and scored on James McCann’s single.

Kevin Pillar clipped McKinney, who was leading off third base, with a foul ball one pitch before he delivered a two-run double to left-center.

Smith went deep in the fifth, and Pillar and Luis Guillorme drew back-to-back walks in the sixth before pinch-hitter Brandon Drury delivered an RBI single.

Anthony Rizzo and Patrick Wisdom hit back-to-back homers off reliever Trevor May in the seventh before Aaron Loup retired all four batters he faced. Edwin Diaz earned his 13th save by striking out the side in a perfect ninth.

Arrieta (5-7) allowed four runs on four hits and four walks in five innings. He struck out three.

TESTING, TESTING

The first pitch was delayed three minutes so the Cubs could confirm their replay system was working. After Peterson’s final warmup toss, a pair of umpires jogged over to the area near Chicago’s dugout and donned the headsets to test the system.

BULLPEN SHUFFLE

The Mets recalled right-hander Sean Reid-Foley from Triple-A Syracuse and designated right-hander Jacob Barnes for assignment. Barnes gave up a tiebreaking grand slam Sunday to Fernando Tatis Jr. followed by a home run from Manny Machado in the Mets’ 7-3 loss to San Diego.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: SS Javier Baez (right thumb) didn’t start for a second straight game but hit in the cage Monday afternoon and grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. … INF Matt Duffy (lower back strain) is on pace to begin a rehab assignment shortly. … RHP Trevor Williams (appendicitis) has been throwing every day and could ramp up his recovery once he visits a doctor later this week.

Mets: McKinney (right knee) returned to the starting lineup after missing two games. … RF Michael Conforto (right hamstring) ran the bases, and CF Brandon Nimmo (left index finger) participated in batting practice. Both players could soon begin rehab assignments. … OF Albert Almora Jr. (left shoulder), who has played in five rehab games for Triple-A Syracuse, is on track to return this weekend.

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Alex Mills (2-0, 6.08 ERA) is scheduled to make his first start since April 13 and his second appearance since coming off the injured list June 8.

Mets: RHP Taijuan Walker (5-2, 2.07 ERA) struck out nine last Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles, his most whiffs since he fanned 10 for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Colorado Rockies on Sept 1, 2017.