CHICAGO -- Jacob deGrom breezed through seven scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series opener.

Six days later, in the winner-take-all Game 5 at Dodger Stadium, deGrom was on the ropes early. In fact, Noah Syndergaard began warming as early as the second inning of that outing.

Ultimately, deGrom gutted through six innings and the Mets ousted the Dodgers with a 3-2 win.

DeGrom views the latter outing in which he struggled as perhaps the more impressive of the pair.

“The first game I felt really good out there,” said deGrom, who starts Tuesday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series opposite Chicago Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks. “I felt like I had control of all my pitches and was willing to throw them at any time. The second game, that one was tough. I didn't have any fastball command, and I think my curveball was my best pitch. So the second game was definitely a battle. I feel like it was more impressive just because it wasn't easy. When you have your best stuff, it's a lot easier to pitch.”

DeGrom went 0-2 with a 6.10 ERA in two starts against the Chicago Cubs in 2015. The only other team to hand him two defeats this season was the Washington Nationals, and that came in six starts.

In fact, the Mets -- who lead the NLCS two games to none -- have lost seven straight games at Wrigley Field. Their last victory against the Cubs in the Windy City came on May 19, 2013.

DeGrom allowed four runs on five hits and four walks in five innings at Wrigley Field in his seventh start of the season. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo homered against deGrom that day.

That was deGrom’s last truly rough outing before an incredible 16-start stretch during which he posted a 1.44 ERA, .167 opponent batting average and 0.728 WHIP. DeGrom did surrender four runs (three earned) in 5 1/3 innings against the Cubs at Citi Field on July 2. Jonathan Herrera homered against deGrom that day.

“I haven't looked back at it too much,” deGrom insisted about his struggles against the Cubs. “I know they weren't very good starts. I'm going to flush that. I know this is the playoffs, so it's going to be a good start for me.”

Said manager Terry Collins: “Jake ran through a period where the ball was coming up in the strike zone. And he got to the major leagues with pitching down with two-seam fastballs and getting ground balls. All of a sudden that sinker was gone. It was gone for quite a while. And these guys, this ball straightens out, one thing we know about the Cubs, they're going to do some damage on fastballs. I don't care how hard you throw it. And he got beat giving up the long ball. That was something that he didn't do last year. He didn't give up home runs a lot last year, and this year he has. That was, I'm sure, part of the damage.

“What we've got to do is be able to keep the ball down in the zone, let the ball move, which is what has been the strength. And if you can get ahead, then maybe change the eye level once in a while. But if you're going to keep pounding 96 mph heaters letter high, they're going to do some damage on you.”