Tim Locastro drove in the tie-breaking run with one out in the 11th inning, giving the Arizona Diamondbacks a 6-5 win over the New York Mets on Saturday night.
Kevin Cron, called up from Triple-A Reno before the game, doubled off Mets reliever Tyler Bashlor (0-3) to start the bottom of the 11th inning. He took third on Nick Ahmed’s sacrifice bunt, and after an intentional walk, Locastro came up as the Mets brought Juan Lagares in from center field as an extra infielder.
Locastro drove a 2-2 pitch beyond the reach of the Mets’ two-man outfield.
The Diamondbacks ended a five-game losing streak. The Mets coughed up a late lead of at least four runs for the second time in four games. They had an 8-3 lead at Los Angeles on Wednesday night before losing 9-8.
Yoshihisa Hirano (2-3) pitched a scoreless 11th inning for the win.
Adam Jones hit a two-run home run off Mets reliever Robert Gsellman with one out in the bottom of the eighth that tied the game at 5-all, completing a comeback for the Diamondbacks.
Arizona started the inning down 5-1, and used a single by Ketel Marte and sacrifice fly by Eduardo Escobar — both off the Mets’ Jeurys Famila— to cut the lead to two runs. Jones then hit a drive cleared the wall in left-center for his fourth career game-tying home run in the seventh inning or later.
Todd Frazier and Dominic Smith homered for Mets, who have 19 home runs in their last nine games.
Jacob deGrom limited the Diamondbacks to one run over 6 2/3 innings before leaving Saturday’s game with a trainer. DeGrom struck out seven and held the Diamondbacks hitless from the second through the fifth innings. He faced a former Cy Young winner for the third time this season, Arizona ace Zack Greinke.
Greinke didn’t have an ace-like performance. The Mets worked five 3-2 counts in the first two innings, and in the fourth teed off on Greinke with five straight hits. Frazier’s homer sailed into the left-field seats, a two-run shot, and after two singles, Tomas Nido had an RBI single that made it 4-0.
In the midst of the Mets’ rally, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo came out of the dugout with a trainer to check on Greinke, but the right-hander remained in the game.
An athletic play by first baseman Christian Walker to start an inning-ending double play kept the Mets from doing more damage.
Greinke’s night was over after four innings, his shortest outing since opening day in Los Angeles. He allowed four runs on seven hits and is winless in his last three starts.
The Diamondbacks broke through against deGrom in the seventh. Jones doubled and scored on a throwing error by Mets second baseman Adeiny Hechavarria with two outs.
Smith connected on a pitch high in the strike zone from Zack Godley to lead off the eighth with his third homer of the season, giving the Mets a 5-1 lead.
PERSONAL CATCHER, OR NOT
Mets manager Mickey Callaway was asked if Nido is deGrom’s personal catcher, given that No. 1 receiver Wilson Ramos wasn’t in the lineup for a third consecutive start.
Callaway stopped short of affirming it as such, and said Ramos has to eventually catch deGrom starts. DeGrom’s earned run average was more than four points lower with Nido than with Ramos going into Saturday’s start.
“Ramos has caught all the other (starters) three times and he’s not their personal catcher,” Callaway said. “It’s just something that we can line up when we can and we feel that there’s some value to it at this point.”
UMP MOVES
Ryan Additon worked second base for Saturday’s umpire crew, replacing the injured Jim Wolf, who left Friday’s game after being struck in the mask by a foul ball in the second inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: IF Robinson Cano (quadriceps strain) appears on track to come off the injured list on Sunday. It will depend on how he feels when he arrives at Chase Field on Sunday morning.
OF Brandon Nimmo (stiff neck) is doing baseball activities and has been eligible to be activated since Friday. … LHP Justin Wilson on Friday threw off a mound for the first time since being placed on the injured list with elbow soreness.
Diamondbacks: OF David Peralta (right shoulder) got at-bats in an extended spring training game earlier Saturday, and manager Torey Lovullo said he felt fine. Lovullo said he thinks Peralta can avoid a rehab assignment. … IF Jake Lamb (strained quadriceps) also got at-bats but didn’t run the bases. … The Diamondbacks called up Cron two days after sending him down, placing C-OF Blake Swihart on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique. Lovullo said Swihart was hurt doing defensive drills in the outfield while the team was playing the Colorado Rockies in Denver earlier this week.
UP NEXT
Mets: LHP Steven Matz (4-3, 3.55 earned run average) is coming off a win over the otherwise sizzling Los Angeles Dodgers in his last start. He’s on deck to face the Diamondbacks on Sunday, and the Mets are 7-3 in his 10 starts this season.
Diamondbacks: RHP Merrill Kelly (4-6, 4.83 ERA) is set to make his first career start against the Mets. Opponents are batting .284 against Kelly this season.
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