Daniel Murphy’s home run powers Mets past Cubs, 4-1, in Game 2 of NLCS

— Daniel Murphy hit a home run to provide an early lead for Noah Syndergaard, and the New York Mets got past Jake Arrieta and the Chicago Cubs, 4-1, Sunday night for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.

“We’ve beaten some of the best the game has to offer,” Mets third baseman David Wright said.

Murphy hit a home run for the fourth consecutive game, this time a two-run drive just inside the right-field foul pole in a three-run first inning against Arrieta, who led the majors with 22 victories.

“We’re having a whole lot of fun right now,” said Murphy, who hit a home run in the first inning for the second consecutive game.

Given a quick lead on a chilly night, Syndergaard kept the Cubs at bay until giving up a run just before departing in the sixth inning.

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Curtis Granderson robbed Chris Coghlan of a potential home run with a leaping grab at the center-field wall, stole two bases and scored two runs.

The Mets will send Jacob deGrom to the mound when the series resumes Tuesday night at Chicago. Rookie left-hander Steven Matz is set for Game 4 followed by Game 1 winner Matt Harvey on Thursday, if necessary.

The Cubs, who are trying to reach the World Series for the first time since 1945, will counter with Kyle Hendricks on Tuesday.

“We’re all about one-game winning streaks,” Cubs Manager Joe Maddon said. “I know it’s psychobabble 101, but it actually works.”

In seven postseason games, Murphy has five home runs and eight runs batted in, and is one away from matching Carlos Beltran’s record of hitting a home run in five consecutive postseason games.

“He’s about as locked in as I’ve seen a hitter,” Wright said.

After making the first relief appearance of his big league career against the Dodgers in Game 5 of a division series, Syndergaard threw 99-mph fastballs until the sixth inning, when Dexter Fowler singled and scored on Kris Byrant’s two-out double off the left-field wall.

Jon Niese replaced Syndergaard and struck out Anthony Rizzo to prevent further damage.

Syndergaard gave up three hits, struck out nine batters and walked one. Jeurys Familia’s fourth postseason save finished a five-pitcher five-hitter and sent the Cubs to consecutive losses for the first time since they dropped three games in a row Sept. 23-26.

It was 45 degrees at game time with an 18-mph northwest wind. Chicago didn’t take batting practice because of the weather, but Arrieta took the mound in short sleeves. He had not given up a first-inning run in 25 consecutive starts since May 29.

Granderson singled through the shift into right field for his ninth hit in 22 postseason at-bats. Wright, in a one-for-19 slide, drove a fastball on a hop off the center-field wall with Granderson running on the pitch.

Murphy hit an 0-and-1 pitch about 10 feet to the foul side of the right-field pole, then reached down for a shin-high curveball and with a one-handed swing sent it just inside the pole.

“The ambush early got us,” Maddon said.

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