FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Jae Seo returned to the major leagues and didn't miss a beat.

The Korean righthander allowed just four hits in 7 1/3 innings to outduel Greg Maddux as the New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs for the second straight day, 2-0.

Jose Reyes extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a single in the third inning for the Mets, who will try to complete the sweep on Sunday night.

Seo (3-1) was recalled from Class AAA Norfolk on Friday to replace the struggling Kaz Ishii in the Mets' rotation. Seo made three starts for the Mets earlier this season, including seven scoreless innings against Philadelphia on May 4 when he allowed just one hit.

But Seo was sent back to the minors the next day to make room for Kris Benson , who came off the disabled list, and he remained there since. Ishii's troubles gave Seo another chance and he took full advantage.

"It had been a while. I was a little bit nervous and I had to concentrate," Seo said through an interpreter. "I threw a lot of cutters and splitters in the minors and I threw the same type of pitches today. I was not using them much the first time I was here."

Seo had struggled in the minors, including a July 15 outing at Syracuse in which he allowed 13 runs in 4 1/3 innings. But the strong outing in this one caused some to question why Seo wasn't called up sooner to replace Ishii, who is 3-9 with a 5.04 ERA.

"I never second-guess myself. I don't look at it that way," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "Who is to say he would have pitched that way if he was called up sooner?"

Seo retired the first eight batters he faced and the Cubs didn't mount a threat until the fifth when they put runners on first and third with one out. After Maddux sacrificed another runner into scoring position, Seo retired Matt Lawton on a comebacker to end the inning.

Seo allowed a leadoff double to Henry Blanco in the eighth and left one out later. Dae-Sung Koo recorded the second out and Roberto Hernandez , who was torched for five runs in the ninth inning in a loss against Milwaukee on Thursday, struck out Derrek Lee with two runners on to end the threat.

Braden Looper retired all three batters he faced in the ninth for his 23rd save.

Seo's spot in the rotation could be temporary with Steve Trachsel , who has not pitched all season due to back surgery, scheduled to return later this month.

"I'm just glad we got a win today," Randolph said. " Jae Seo will have his next start and we'll see what happens from there."

Maddux (8-9) fell to 0-3 in his last five starts and failed to defeat a franchise he has dominated for most of his career. The righthander fell to 34-17 against the Mets, allowing two runs and four hits in seven innings. The 34 wins is the most wins against the Mets by any pitcher and the most Maddux has against any one team.

"I got beat. I got outpitched," Maddux said. "Who wants to be under .500? I just have to keep working."

The Mets scored a run in the first inning when former Cub Miguel Cairo singled with one out, stole second and came home on a two-out double to left field by David Wright .

Reyes singled in the third to extend his streak and then used his speed to set up a run, advancing to second on a fly ball to center field by Cairo before stealing third. Carlos Beltran plated Reyes with a broken-bat single to right field.

The Cubs lost for the eighth time in their last 11 games. The top six hitters in the lineup were a combined 0-for-22.

"We can't get anything going," Lee said. "(Seo) pitched good, but we have to find a way."