NOTHING DOING: Lucas Duda heads back to the dugout after striking out during the Mets’ shutout loss. (Getty Images)
Good first half, bad finish.
Instead of heading to the All-Star break yesterday with a surge of momentum, the Mets had to reach for the mouthwash and rinse that disgusting taste of losing another series to the Cubs from their palates.
So much for the goal Josh Thole set last week, when he told The Post the Mets shouldn’t be happy with anything less than winning five of six games on this homestand. The Mets split their six games against the reeling Phillies and Cubs to simply tread water in the NL playoff chase.
“We played pretty good ball this last stretch,” Thole said after the Mets’ 7-0 loss at Citi Field for a second defeat in three games to the Cubs. “We obviously would have liked to win a couple more of those, but that’s how it goes. We would have liked to have taken at least one more.”
Jon Niese never gave the Mets a chance to make that a reality yesterday. The lefty surrendered four runs in the first inning and then watched Starlin Castro unload for a three-run homer against him in the seventh, helping the Cubs (33-52), who began play tied with the Rockies for the worst record in the majors, finish 4-2 against the Mets this season.
“They played us real well,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “Maybe it’s just one of those things where it’s a bad matchup for us.”
Niese (7-4) allowed a season-high nine hits on a day Ryan Dempster (4-3) extended his scoreless streak to 27 innings, dating to June 5. The veteran righty, making his first start since coming off the disabled list, was removed after pitching five shutout innings.
On normal rest this season, Niese is 2-3 with a 7.16 ERA. But given at least one extra day of rest, he is 5-1 with a 2.15 ERA. Those numbers are at least one reason Collins might look to give R.A. Dickey extra starts on short rest heading down the stretch while allowing Niese and Johan Santana to take extra days.
“It was kind of hit and miss,” Niese said of his first half. “I always want to be better, but I thought overall it was a pretty decent half. I definitely want to get better for the second half. I want to finish a lot stronger than I have in the past.”
The Mets (46-40) will reconvene Thursday at Citi Field and then fly to Atlanta for an afternoon workout at Turner Field, before opening a three-game series against the Braves on Friday. The road trip will conclude with three games in Washington. The first-place Nationals arrived at the break with a
4 1/2-game lead on the Mets — who dropped a half-game behind the Braves — in the NL East. The Mets are also a half-game out of wild-card position, tied with the Cardinals and Giants.
“If we can duplicate our first half, I’ll take our chances,” Collins said. “We take from the first half that we can compete. That has to be the biggest thing we take out of here: ‘Hey, look, we are in the hunt.’ We’ve got to start next week on realizing we’re in a fight and we’ve got to be ready, so use these next days to get some energy back, get some rest and come out because we’ve got a tough battle as soon as we come out.”
David Wright — who will represent the Mets with Dickey at the All-Star game (Collins will also be in uniform as a coach) — said he’s satisfied with team’s body of work.
“It would have been nice to take the series today — then we would have felt a lot better going to the break,” Wright said. “All and all it was a positive first half. We’re happy with what we’ve accomplished so far.”
mpuma@nypost.com