CHICAGO — One night after hitting a go-ahead home run to complete a heroic comeback, Francisco Alvarez hit another. But there was no coming back from this one.

The unraveling started long before Alvarez took left-hander Matthew Boyd deep in the fifth inning. Jonah Tong was lit up in the third inning, surrendering four runs to get the hook before getting an out. Eventually, the Mets lost 10-3, but not before using the two pitchers who were tentatively scheduled to pitch Saturday, and yet again, committing sloppy, fundamental errors.

The bullpen had to cover 21 outs, only 24 hours after having to get 23 in relief of David Peterson. The Mets called on right-hander Clay Holmes and left-hander Sean Manaea, two starters who have been making tandem starts as of late. Having both pitched last Sunday before departing for Chicago, Holmes and Manaea likely would have thrown bullpen sessions Wednesday afternoon anyway, so it might not affect the Mets’ pitching plans for the weekend.

Using them showed urgency on the part of the Mets (81-77), who never believe they’re out of a game until the final out, but it also showed how dire the pitching situation is at the wrong time of year.

Luckily, the Cincinnati Reds lost in extra innings to the Pittsburgh Pirates for the second night in a row, helping the Mets stay in the wild-card standings.

In just his fifth big league start, Tong received help from the defense in the first inning to keep the game scoreless, with center fielder Tyrone Taylor nailing the runner at home for the second out. It was a strong throw by Taylor, who was activated off the injured list Wednesday afternoon, and a great tag by Alvarez at the plate. Initially, Michael Busch was ruled safe, coming home on a single up the center by Moises Ballesteros, but the Mets challenged the call and it was overturned after a review.

Tong retired the side in order in the second, and for a moment, things seemed to be going well for the Mets.

That didn’t last long.

The Cubs (89-69) loaded the bases on Tong, and Ian Happ scored two with a double to right. There were two balls down the left side Mark Vientos failed to get to. Before long, it was 4-0 and left-hander Richard Lovelady came in to relieve the 22-year-old Tong (2-3), who gave up seven hits, five earned runs and two walks over only two innings.

With a 7.71 ERA, Tong seems to have given the Mets all he’s capable of for now. While the future is bright, the present is as much of a question for him as it is for the Mets.

Matt Shaw homered off Lovelady in the fourth to put Chicago up 6-0. Alvarez cut the lead to four with his home run in the fifth, but then the Mets came completely unglued in the bottom of the frame.

Holmes was nearly out of the inning with two outs, and an inherited runner on third. Vientos had the third out — a would be ground-ball from Pete Crow-Armstrong. The third baseman made a nice stop on it with a backhand catch. But his throw to first base went well past Pete Alonso, allowing the runner on third to score and Crow-Armstrong to reach second.

With Dansby Swanson at the plate, Alvarez couldn’t block a wild pitch by Holmes. It popped up behind him and went all the way to the backstop, allowing Crow-Armstrong to go from second to third. The outfielder kept going, heading home and catching the Mets by surprise. Holmes went to cover first as Alvarez flipped the ball right past him.

Crow-Armstrong, who was originally drafted by the Mets, was safe.

By the time Juan Soto hit his 43rd home run of the season in the top of the eighth, the game was well out of hand.

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