CHICAGO – Steve Trachsel won his seventh straight start, and the New York Mets used a four-run fourth inning to defeat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Friday.

Down 2-1 after three innings, the Mets had four hits in the fourth and got help when Ronny Cedeno’s throwing error allowed two runs to score, sending Greg Maddux to his fifth straight loss.

Trachsel (9-4) gave up two runs on three hits in six innings. The former Cub hasn’t lost since May 17, a span of 10 starts. He retired 13 of 15 batters after a two-run first inning, giving up a single and a walk.

The Mets won their third straight game.

Maddux (7-10) hasn’t won since June 9, a total of six starts, and is 2-10 since his perfect April. He gave up five earned runs on eight hits in seven innings, striking out six on 98 pitches.

On a sticky afternoon, in which there was a 45-minute rain delay after the fifth inning, the 40-year-old Maddux gave up consecutive singles to Paul Lo Duca and Carlos Beltran to start the fourth. After a strikeout by Carlos Delgado, David Wright knocked in Lo Duca with an RBI single. Cliff Floyd drove in another run with a double.

Maddux intentionally walked Xavier Nady to face Chris Woodward, who grounded to second. After getting the lead runner, Cedeno’s errant throw over a sliding Nady went past Derrek Lee at first. Wright scored on the groundout and Floyd scored on the error. Cedeno was shaken up after the play but stayed in the game.

Woodward tripled off the top of the wall in left in the seventh and scored on a sacrifice fly by Eli Marrero.

The Cubs took the lead in the first on a two-run double by Jacque Jones.

Jose Valentin doubled and scored on Beltran’s groundout in the first.

Notes: Mets CF Carlos Beltran didn’t return to the game after the rain delay with soreness in his right knee. Endy Chavez replaced him. … Cubs RHP Mark Prior went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique muscle. Prior was hurt during batting practice last Saturday in Milwaukee. Prior was put on the DL retroactive to July 5 so he is eligible to come off next week. He began the season on the DL, coming off it on June 18 and going 0-4 in four starts since. … Mets RHP Pedro Martinez said he has been ill from possible food poisoning since Tuesday and said he still felt weak Friday. He has been on the DL since July 6 with an inflammation in his right hip. … The Mets are 13-5 when Trachsel starts. … Before this season, Trachsel’s previous best winning streak was four from Aug. 7-23, 2003.

AP-ES-07-14-06 1739EDT