The Mets (67-65, 12.5 GB in NL East, 4.0 GB for second Wild Card) try to stop their five-game losing streak and series sweep when they face the Cubs (71-61, 2.0 GB in NL Central, 2.0 GA for second Wild Card) on Thursday night at 7:10 p.m. at Citi Field on SNY.

Mets Notes

The Mets have lost four straight games at home for the first time all year and the first time overall since their seven-game skid June 23-29. Despite the losing streak, the Mets have won 14 of their last 19 home games. The Mets are 5-5 in their last 10 games and 21-9 in their last 30 games. As of late, the bullpen is improved -- Mets relievers have combined for a 2.33 ERA with 10 earned runs over 38.2 innings, striking out 51 while walking 26 and allowing 26 hits -- most recently with Wednesday's 6.0 shutout frames against the Cubs. At the plate, Wilson Ramos continues to ride a career-best hitting streak of 21 games -- the longest active streak in baseball -- belting three home runs and 15 RBI while slashing .425/.452/.575 during the stretch since Aug. 3's 7-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. On the season, the catcher has 13 home runs, 64 RBI and a slash line of .290/.354/.417.

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Cubs	Mets
Jason Heyward, CF	Amed Rosario, SS
Nicholas Castellanos, RF	Jeff McNeil, 2B
Kris Bryant, 3B	J.D. Davis, LF
Javier Baez, SS	Pete Alonso, 1B
Victor Caratini, 1B	Wilson Ramos, C
Addison Russell, 2B	Michael Conforto, RF
Tony Kemp, LF	Todd Frazier, 3B
Jonathan Lucroy, C	Juan Lagares, CF
Jon Lester, LHP	Jacob deGrom, RHP

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Who is starting for the Mets?

RHP Jacob deGrom (8-7, 2.56 ERA) leads the MLB since May 22 with a 1.88 ERA, going 5-2 over 17 starts with an NL-best 140 strikeouts to 25 walks. Since the All-Star break, the Mets' ace sports a 4-0 record across eight starts, pitching to a 1.04 ERA and 69 strikeouts to 14 walks. Those numbers make for a big reason why deGrom is back in the NL Cy Young conversation. His four August starts have featured a 2-2 mark, 1.38 ERA and 33 strikeouts to five walks. He suffered a tough-luck loss last Thursday, tossing 7.0 innings and limiting the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves to one run on four hits. DeGrom dominated, striking out 13 and walking one before the Mets fell 2-1 in 14 innings.

Who is starting for the Cubs?

LHP Jon Lester (10-9, 4.49 ERA) has struggled in five August starts, going 1-3 with an 8.51 ERA. Across those 24.1 innings, Lester struck out 24 and walked 12 while opposing teams hit .346 against him. After consecutive wins in his starts -- Aug. 11's 6-3 victory against the Cincinnati Reds and Aug. 17's 2-0 edge of the Pirates, in which he went 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA on nine hits and 10 strikeouts to eight walks -- Lester's latest start last Thursday ended in a loss when the Cubs fell 9-3 to the Washington Nationals. Against the Wild Card-leading Nationals, the veteran southpaw allowed six runs on nine hits, striking out two and walking one.

Upcoming schedule

The Mets begin their six-game road trip in the division Friday when they head to Citizens Bank Park and battle the Philadelphia Phillies (69-63, 10.5 GB in NL East, 2.0 GB for second Wild Card) at 7:05 p.m. on SNY. RHP Zack Wheeler (9-7, 4.46 ERA) takes the mound for the Mets against Phillies ace RHP Aaron Nola (12-4, 3.53 ERA).

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