CHICAGO (Interstat) — Nico Hoerner’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the Chicago Cubs to a 2-1 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field.

In a game dominated by pitching and defensive execution, the Cubs twice rallied from one-run deficits, tying the game in the ninth before walking it off in the 10th in front of 35,497 fans. The game time was 2 hours, 44 minutes.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the late innings, transforming a potential Mets shutout into a Cubs comeback. Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the ninth, Chicago’s Ian Happ led off with a single. After a strikeout, pinch-hitter Michael Conforto delivered a crucial double to right field, scoring pinch-runner Scott Kingery to tie the game and force extra innings.

The Mets, who placed their automatic runner on second to start the 10th, could not advance him. In the home half, the Cubs’ automatic runner, Pete Crow-Armstrong, advanced to third on a groundout. Hoerner then lifted a fly ball to deep right field off Mets reliever Craig Kimbrel, allowing Crow-Armstrong to tag and score easily, sealing the win.

The victory improved the Cubs to 12-9, while the Mets fell to a major league-worst 7-15, having lost five straight and 12 of their last 14 games.

Cubs starter Javier Assad was the top star, delivering a critical bounce-back performance. After being shelled for nine runs in his previous start, Assad held the Mets to one run on three hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out three. His effort stabilized the game and kept Chicago within striking distance.

The Mets’ lone run came in the fifth inning when MJ Melendez launched a solo home run, his first of the season, to right-center field off Assad. New York’s pitching staff made that lead stand for most of the afternoon and evening, beginning with starter David Peterson, who worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Relievers Tobias Myers and Luke Weaver combined for 3 1/3 more hitless frames.

New York missed several opportunities to extend its lead, most notably in the sixth inning. Luis Torrens led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout, but was left stranded. The Mets finished 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.

Chicago’s bullpen was equally effective. After Assad departed, Jacob Webb, Riley Martin, Corbin Martin and winning pitcher Caleb Thielbar combined for 4 1/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief. Thielbar worked the 10th, earning his second win against two losses.

Kimbrel, the Mets’ eighth pitcher of the day, took the loss, falling to 0-1. He recorded two outs in the ninth but was charged with the unearned run in the 10th.

The Cubs’ offense was stifled for much of the day, managing just seven hits and going 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position. They also grounded into two double plays. Crow-Armstrong provided an early spark with a triple in the third but was erased on an unusual line-drive double play.

The series sweep continued contrasting trajectories for the two clubs. The Cubs have won seven of their last ten games. The Mets, meanwhile, continue to search for answers during a prolonged early-season slump.

According to Interstat, the final score defied projections. Their game simulator had predicted a 6-1 Cubs win, and their ELO system gave Chicago a 59.9% probability of victory. The teams also combined to go well under the pregame over/under line of 8.5 runs.

The Cubs open a four-game series at home against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday. The Mets return home to begin a three-game set with the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.