Mets 7, Cubs 3: Wilmer Flores ripped a two-run single and Juan Lagares also drove in a pair of runs as host New York defeated Chicago for the second straight day.

Matt den Dekker drew a bases-loaded walk and joined Travis d'Arnaud by scoring twice for the Mets, who sit six games behind San Francisco for the second wild card in the National League as they matched the total of runs from their previous four contests. Jonathon Niese (7-8) tossed six-plus solid innings before leaving in the seventh after getting hit on the right forearm by a line-drive RBI single from Ryan Sweeney.

Chicago's Welington Castillo and Justin Ruggiano homered to lead off the fifth and seventh innings, respectively. Starlin Castro went 0-for-4 as he failed in his bid to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games.

Niese allowed two hits in his first six innings before yielding five in a row to start the seventh. The left-hander permitted three runs but picked up his second straight victory after three relievers combined to retire all nine batters they faced.

After Castillo's ninth homer trimmed New York's lead to 3-1, the Mets answered by scoring four runs on one hit in the sixth. New York loaded the bases before den Dekker's bases-loaded walk ended the evening for Dan Straily (1-3) and Lagares lined a shot to center that caromed off the glove of Arismendy Alcantara, allowing Lucas Duda and d'Arnaud to score on the error.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Mets 3B David Wright was hitless in both at-bats to drop to 0-for-15 against the Cubs this season. The captain was hit in the left shoulder by a pitch in the sixth and exited the contest prior to the following inning. ... Making his debut with Chicago after being acquired from Oakland in the deal involving Jeff Samardzija, Straily allowed seven runs - five earned - on four hits in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss ... The Mets have mustered just four hits in each of the first two contests of this series.