Cubs edge Mets 1-0 to preserve Imanaga's 5th win

Ian Happ, Nick Madrigal and Miguel Amaya teamed up for the game-ending double play Wednesday night, preserving the win for sensational rookie Shota Imanaga after he threw seven scoreless innings in the Chicago Cubs’ 1-0 victory over the New York Mets.

Hector Neris, who notched his fifth save, hit Pete Alonso with one out in the ninth and gave up a double to J.D. Martinez before Jeff McNeil flew out to Happ in left field. Alonso tagged up and raced home, but Madrigal — inserted at third base as a defensive replacement for Christopher Morel in the eighth — cut off Happ’s throw and whirled as he fired home to Amaya.

Alonso beat the throw, but Amaya had his foot on the plate and Alonso didn’t get his arm around the catcher.

“I thought we made a great play,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Ian made a good throw to Nick and Nick put a throw right on the money. Just good wherewithal by both guys to do it as fast as they did and as accurately as they could. And a great tag by Miggy.”

The Mets challenged the play, but after a review of more than four minutes, umpire Derek Thomas — the replay official at the Replay Center in New York — determined Amaya did not violate the home plate collision rule and could not “… definitely determine that (Alonso) contacted home plate” before Amaya made the tag.

Imanaga (5-0) allowed three hits and walked one with seven strikeouts to lower his ERA to 0.78 — the fourth-lowest mark by a pitcher through his first six career starts since earned runs became official in both leagues in 1913.

The four-game series concludes Thursday when Mets' Adrian Houser (0-3, 8.37 ERA) opposes Cubs RHP Ben Brown (0-1, 4.30 ERA).




(AP Photo Frank Franklin II)