Mets' losing streak hits 9 with Cubs roughing up Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea

CHICAGO — Moisés Ballesteros, Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ homered, and the Chicago Cubs handed the Mets their ninth straight loss, pounding them 12-4 on Friday.

The Mets' skid is their worst since the 2004 team dropped 11 straight. They’ve been outscored 56-16 during the streak.

Kodai Senga (0-3) got tagged for seven runs in his second straight start. The righthander gave up six earned runs to go with six hits in 3 1/3 innings after lasting just 2 1/3 in a loss to the Athletics last week. His ERA through four starts is 8.83.

Sean Manaea worked the final four innings, giving up six hits and five earned runs, striking out two and walking one.

Francisco Lindor, Francisco Alvarez, MJ Melendez, Marcus Semien and Tyrone Taylor had two hits apiece for the Mets.

The Cubs scored in double digits for the third straight game and major league-leading fourth time this season.

Ballesteros made it 4-0 in the first with a three-run homer. Hoerner had three hits and drove in two runs after setting a career high with five RBIs in Wednesday’s 11-2 win at Philadelphia. His two-run shot in the second against Senga  made it 6-3.

The two-time Gold Glove second baseman also made a diving stop to rob Bo Bichette of a hit in the fifth.

Happ added a two-run drive in the eighth.

Edward Cabrera (2-0) went six innings, allowing three runs and eight hits, as the Cubs rolled to their third straight win.

After outscoring Philadelphia by a combined 21-6 in their previous two games, the Cubs jumped on Senga.

Seiya Suzuki singled in a run in the first and Ballesteros made it 4-0 when he drove the next pitch to the leftfield basket. The Mets cut it to 4-3 in the second on an RBI double by Semien and two-run single by Taylor off the centerfield wall. Taylor got thrown out at second by Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Outside of an RBI single by Alvarez in the eighth, it was all Cubs after that.