Staff report
Relief pitcher Bobby Parnell (East Rowan) had a chance to earn his first major league victory, and he settled for a scoreless outing in the New York Mets‚ 9-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. He now has a 1.93 ERA in four appearances.
Parnell entered in the eighth inning with the Mets trailing 6-5. Derrek Lee grounded out to first and Aramis Ramirez walked. Parnell fell behind 2-0 in the count to Kosuke Fukudome, prompting a visit from pitching coach Dan Warthen. On the next pitch, Fukudome grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
With Parnell still the pitcher of record, the Mets put runners on first and third with nobody out in the bottom of the eighth. They had runners on second and third with one out, and a bases-loaded walk tied the game. A groundout ended the threat, and Luis Ayala pitched the ninth.