Matsuzaka struggles as Mets drop second straight to Cubs

CCHICAGO — Nonexistent in this pile of rubble was anything in which the Mets could take a measure of satisfaction Wednesday night.

The Cubs entered with the worst record in the major leagues and played as such, but the Mets polluted Wrigley Field the most over 8¹/₂ innings.

Daisuke Matsuzaka’s first start since replacing Rafael Montero in the rotation was a disaster and the same old situational hitting woes plagued the Mets in a 5-4 loss that took 3 hours, 40 minutes.

“Overall I didn’t have my best stuff today and wound up being too careful with my pitches, which led to a lot of balls ,” Matsuzaka said after surrendering four runs on four hits and five walks over 4¹/₃ innings.

Matsuzaka, according to manager Terry Collins, will remain in the rotation to make his next start.

A week that started in encouraging fashion for the Mets, after they won four of five games in Philadelphia, has turned sour fast. If they can’t win Thursday, the Mets (28-31) will become the first team swept three games by the Cubs (22-34) this season.

It might only get worse for the Mets after they leave Wrigley on Thursday: They will fly to San Francisco for the start of a three-game series against the Giants, who have the best record in the majors.

Collins suggested fatigue has caught up with his club after a three-game stretch against the Phillies in which the Mets played 39 innings.

“Some of it is a little residue of what we’ve been through in Philly,” Collins said. “We’ve gotten off to a good start, we just haven’t been able to add on. We’ve had opportunities to put games away. We’re just not hitting with guys on base.”

Curtis Granderson singled with two outs in the ninth to give the Mets a last chance to at least tie the game, but Hector Rondon retired Bobby Abreu to end it.

Earlier, the Mets had opportunities but couldn’t convert. In the fifth, they loaded the bases with two outs before Anthony Recker was retired. In the sixth, David Wright was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs and Granderson struck out.

Jeurys Familia’s wild pitch in the fifth — which brought a chorus of “Meet the Mets” from the ballpark organist — allowed Anthony Rizzo to score the go-ahead run, putting the Mets in a 5-4 hole.

Matsuzaka recorded just one out in the fifth before Dana Eveland entered and allowed a single to Rizzo that loaded the bases. Starlin Castro followed with a two-run single against that tied the game at 4-4.

“I believe I prepared well,” said Matsuzaka, who has worked mostly from the bullpen this season. “But once I got into the game, I wasn’t able to do it on the mound.”

Familia entered with the bases loaded and two outs and threw the wild pitch that tied the game before retiring Mike Olt to escape.

Matsuzaka caught a break in the fourth inning when John Baker’s grounder hit his leg to begin an inning-ending double play that kept the Mets’ 4-2 lead intact. Chris Coghlan had tripled with one out before Olt walked.

Ruben Tejada’s second homer in five days, a solo blast in the fourth against Edwin Jackson, extended the Mets’ lead to 4-2. It was also the third homer by a Mets shortstop on the road trip — Wilmer Flores hit a grand slam Monday in Philadelphia.

Matsuzaka’s rough inning was the first, when he allowed an RBI single to Castro, and Nate Schierholtz’s RBI ground out pulled the Cubs within 3-2. Justin Ruggiano tripled to begin the rally.

Castro’s error helped the Mets score three unearned runs in the first. Abreu hit a grounder that should have been the third out, but Castro booted it, allowing Daniel Murphy to score. Lucas Duda followed with a two-run double that made it 3-0.