NEW YORK -- Jonathan Herrera's teammates are used to seeing the utilityman warm up with the starters. The Chicago Cubs could also get accustomed to watching him do what he did during a rare start Thursday afternoon.

Herrera laid down a perfect safety squeeze in the second inning and hit a two-run homer in the sixth as the Cubs completed a season sweep of the New York Mets with a 6-1 win at Citi Field.

It was just the 16th start of the season for Herrera, who played third base with phenom Kris Bryant getting his first day off as a major leaguer. He said warming up with the starters, even on the days he's not playing, helps keep him focused for when he does get an opportunity to enter a game.

"Guys sometimes ask, 'You playing?' because they saw me in the lineup with the other guys, stretching and throwing," Herrera said. "I say, no, I'm not playing, but I need to be ready and feel like I'm playing."

Herrera's squeeze brought home left fielder Chris Coghlan and gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Chicago took the lead for good on an RBI single by first baseman Anthony Rizzo in the fifth before Herrera chased Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom in the sixth when he homered just beyond the reach of leaping right fielder Curtis Granderson to extend the Cubs' lead to 4-1.

Herrera's first homer since July 7, 2013, and first three-RBI game since April 14, 2011, also helped make Cubs manager Joe Maddon look prescient.

"Seems like any time Johnny Herrera goes on the field, he does something good for us," Maddon said during his pregame press conference. "So let's see what happens."

Reminded of his comments hours later, Maddon grinned.

"He's done a great job," Maddon said. "Goes from the safety squeeze bunt, perfectly executed, to putting the ball over the wall when you need it.

"Worked a great at-bat, hits a homer, plays a nice third base. He stays ready."

Herrera's support was more than enough for right-hander Jake Arrieta, who cruised through eight innings against the Mets' lifeless lineup. Arrieta allowed one run, five hits and no walks while striking out seven. He retired 15 of the final 18 batters he faced after Curtis Granderson's tying RBI double with two outs in the third.

Maddon said he was planning to give Arrieta a chance at his second complete game in three starts before catcher Miguel Montero hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth.

Instead, left-hander Travis Wood needed just seven pitches to retire the side in order as the Cubs completed the three-game sweep, during which they outscored the Mets 9-1, to finish 7-0 against New York this season.

It is the first time Chicago has swept a season series of seven or more games since 1885 when the Cubs -- then known as the White Stockings -- went 15-0 against the Buffalo Bisons.

The sweep at Citi Field also allowed the Cubs (42-35) to finish 3-3 on a road trip that began with the St. Louis Cardinals outscoring Chicago 15-4 in a sweep at Busch Stadium.

"We knew we had to pick it up," Arrieta said. "We had to make a decision coming here: Were we up for that challenge? And we came out and pitched extremely well (and) swung the bats just enough."

The Mets (40-40) could only pull off half that equation. New York's pitchers have posted a 1.57 ERA in the last seven games, a stretch in which the Mets have scored just 14 runs -- seven of which were produced Sunday when right-hander Steven Matz had three hits and four RBI in his major league debut.

"We've got to lighten it up around here," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "They are so tense, they are so tight. They are so worried about making a big out instead of walking up there like they're going to get a hit."

DeGrom, who had a 1.23 ERA in his previous eight starts, fell to 8-6 after allowing four runs (three earned), seven hits and two walks while striking out two in 5 1/3 innings. He also doubled in the third and scored on Granderson's hit.

"He battled and he battled," Collins said. "He knew we needed him out there and he kept us virtually in the game until the home run by Herrera."

NOTES: Masanori Murakami, the first native of Japan to play in the majors, threw out the first pitch. Mets RHP Jacob deGrom shook Murakami's hand before Murakami stepped onto the mound. ... Mets LF Michael Cuddyer (left knee) was unavailable for a second straight game. Manager Terry Collins said the Mets would have to consider a disabled list stint if Cuddyer, who had a cortisone shot Wednesday, isn't better in a couple of days. ... Collins rejiggered the Mets' moribund lineup by batting CF Darrell Ceciliani second for the first time as a big-leaguer and playing IF Eric Campbell in left field for the first time this season. But they were hitless in seven at-bats. ... Injured Cubs OF Jorge Soler is scheduled to play in his third rehab game for Triple-A Iowa on Thursday night. ... Cubs manager Joe Maddon said RHP Donn Roach will start Saturday. It will be his second start in place of injured LHP Tsuyoshi Wada.