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NEW YORK -- Jake Arrieta was not accustomed to this.The NL Cy Young Award winner started his first eight batters with balls.He went to 3-2 counts four times in a 35-pitch first inning, allowing Neil Walkers two-run homer.Its frustrating for me, because I expect a lot more out of myself, he said Saturday night after the New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 in Arrietas first regular-season road loss in 14 months.Just after Anthony Rizzo tied the score with a two-run, fourth-inning homer off Bartolo Colon, Travis dArnaud blooped a two-run single in the bottom half that sent the Mets to their third straight win in the four-game series, which ends Sunday.Arrieta (12-3) has lost three times in six starts, giving up four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings against the defending NL champions.Poor performance on my end, he said. Just didnt get the effort my team needed tonight. I needed to be more of a stopper, put a stop to the bleeding.He had been 19-0 in 24 regular-season road starts since losing at St. Louis on May 7, 2015 -- to current teammate John Lackey. Arrieta is the only pitcher since 1913 to win 19 consecutive road decisions. However, he lost Game 2 of last years NL Championship Series at Citi Field.Believe me, were all going to be in for a treat when this all gets straightened out, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. Hes going to look like he did last year.Arrieta said issues with mechanics were overblown.Were spinning our wheels a little bit too much trying to figure out what the solution is, or is there a problem, he said. I just need to pitch better. Thats the bottom line.Rookie Brandon Nimmo walked leading off the first, and Walker sent a 94 mph sinker off the facing of the second deck in right. Walker had been 4 for 28 against Arrieta, including the postseason.He just wasnt throwing as many strikes early in the count as Ive been accustomed to facing him, Walker said. When youre 1-0, 2-1 with everybody, it makes it difficult to use that entire arsenal.With the score 2-2 in the fourth and runners at first and second, dArnaud popped a ball into short center field, in the middle of a triangle formed by center fielder Jason Heyward, second baseman Javier Baez and shortstop Addison Russell. On a full run toward the outfield and with his back to home plate, Baez reached up with his right, bare hand, but the ball glanced off it and fell to the ground as two runs scored. Baez had just entered the game at second base.Colon (7-4) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, and Ben Zobrist homered off Erik Goeddel in the seventh.Addison Reed struck out Kris Bryant to end the seventh with the potential tying run on second, and then struck out the side in the eighth after Rizzos leadoff single. Jeurys Familia got three straight outs to convert his 44th consecutive save chance, including a major league-leading 28 this season.Chicago lost for the ninth time in 13 games but still has the best record in the major leagues at 51-29. After getting swept in a three-game series at Washington, the Mets can sweep four from the Cubs.We want to finish it off tomorrow, Mets manager Terry Collins said.LOOKING AHEADArrieta is to start Friday at Pittsburgh, putting him in position for a possible start for Collins of the Mets in the All-Star Game at San Diego on July 12.JUST PLAIN LOOKINGPlate umpire Laz Diaz called nine batters out on strikes, including five Cubs. When Baez was called out leading off the ninth, he held out both arms, and Maddon yelled from the dugout.The amorphic strike zone tonight was really difficult for both sides, Maddon said.CUBS ROTATIONRight-hander Adam Warren is to start Wednesday against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field, following Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey. Maddon said Warren could get a start after the All-Star break but because of a July 21 off day, it was unlikely he would go with a six-man rotation two turns in a row.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: RF Chris Coghlan left after three innings because of right ribcage soreness.UP NEXTLHP Jon Lester (9-3) is to start Sundays series final for the Cubs and RHP Noah Syndergaard (8-3) for the Mets. Lester is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA in three regular-season starts against the Mets but lost last years NL Championship Series opener to Matt Harvey.Swell Water Bottle Floral . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Swell Bottles Uk Sale . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. http://www.ukswellbottle.com/swell-traveler-sale-uk.html . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. Swell Bottle Uk Stockist . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. Swell Traveler Sale . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season.RENTON, Wash. -- Seahawks quarterback?Russell Wilson announced earlier this week that he is joining a group led by investor Chris Hansen that is working on building an NBA/NHL arena in Seattles SODO neighborhood.On Thursday, Wilson said he plans to have an ownership stake in the basketball team, should the NBA return to Seattle.Yeah, I will. Yes, for sure, Wilson said. Its going to be an exciting thing.I met Chris a few years ago, and we were having a great conversation. ... Ive told you guys Ive been really authentic about wanting to own a team one day and being a part of something really special and doing that. And even though Im young, I definitely have a business mindset. And I want to be able to help people and give back and help change this community, continue to change this community for the better.Wilson was asked if hes willing to lobby city hall and Seattles mayor on behalf of the ownership group.Of course, Wilson said. I think its just trying to encourage people and let them understand, you know, how important it is, and it will open up tons of jobs for people. ... Its going to be a state-of-the-art facility and give people opportunity.The Seaattle SuperSonics were an NBA team for 40 seasons, from 1967-68 through 2007-08, before the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder.dddddddddddd Hansen has been at the forefront of attempts to bring the NBA back to Seattle.Hansen and his investment group announced last month that they would pay for the arena with private funds.For a long time, I have wanted to own a team and be part of that, Wilson said. Really for the past year, Id say, [Ive] really kind of been really processing it and thinking about it and trying to understand, and trying to get information from the people of Seattle.Its such a great city. Its a financially prospering city, a place where we can change peoples lives and give new jobs and help people around the city. Its a great area, the SODO area. Its really, really special. Obviously you have the football stadium, CenturyLink, right there. You have the Mariners in Safeco [Field] right there too.And we want to bring a state-of-the-art facility there, too, an arena. So its exciting to me. ' ' '