Mets top Cubs, win fourth straight

NEW YORK » Jacob deGrom pitched a five-hitter, Asdrubal Cabrera atoned for an embarrassing error by lining two home runs and turning four double plays, and the New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 6-1 Monday night.

DeGrom (5-3) threw the Mets’ first complete game of the season as New York won its fourth in a row.

Still under .500 but getting healthier, the Mets started a key two-week stretch where they face 14 straight games against teams that reached the NL playoffs last year.

The Cubs dropped to 31-32 with their ninth straight road loss — the World Series champions haven’t won away from Wrigley Field in a month during their worst road skid since 2012.

Addison Russell homered in Chicago’s fifth loss in six games overall. The defeat began a string in which the Cubs play 17 of 20 on the road.

Mets star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes left the game because of a sore left heel. He went 1 for 3 before being pulled. On Saturday, Cespedes hit a grand slam at Atlanta in his return from a sixweek stint on the disabled list. He had been out with a strained left hamstring, and also had been nagged by trouble with his quadriceps.

DeGrom pitched the Mets to their seventh win in a row over the Cubs at Citi Field, dating to the 2015 NL Championship Series. He neatly bounced back from getting hit hard in two starts, walking four and striking out six. It was his second complete game in 89 major league starts.

John Lackey (4-7) fell to 0-4 in five starts. He’s allowed nine homers in 28 innings over the span and has yielded 19 longballs this season, one behind Cincinnati’s Bronson Arroyo for most in the majors.

Cabrera got off to an ominous start with his 11th error, four more than the usually surehanded shortstop made all of last year. Jason Heyward opened the Cubs second with a routine popup and Cabrera bumped into third baseman Jose Reyes as they settled under it, with the ball glanc-

ing off Cabrera’s glove and falling to the ground.

But Cabrera opened the bottom of the second by lining a drive over the rightcenter field fence. In the fourth, Cabrera did it again for his sixth home run this season and the sixth multihomer game of his career.

Cabrera was in the middle of double plays the Mets turned in four straight innings, starting in the third. He also made a fine play in the hole to get Javier Baez, who was out at first on a replay reversal.

Bruce hit his 17th homer, a two-run drive in the third. He had three hits and drew a walk.

Russell homered for the second day in a row, connecting in the seventh.

Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (hand tendinitis) plans to throw on the side Tuesday. If all goes well, the team hopes he can come off the disabled list and start this weekend at Pittsburgh.

Mets: OF Michael Conforto was scratched with a stiff back and could miss one or two days . ... INF Wilmer Flores got a day to rest. He’s been hitting well, but was 0 for 8 lifetime vs. Lackey.