Mets 4, Diamondbacks 2
NEW YORK -- Right-handed pitcher Matt Harvey threw seven strong innings Saturday afternoon and gave the New York Mets the lead for good with a two-run homer in the fifth inning of a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field.
The Mets (46-42) have won the first two games of the three-game series and six of their last eight. The Diamondbacks (42-44) have lost two straight for the first time since June 30-July 1.
Harvey (8-6) grinded through the first five innings before finding a groove after his first big-league homer. He allowed two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out nine and throwing 71 of 109 pitches for strikes.
The afternoon got off to a foreboding start for Harvey, who walked center fielder A.J. Pollock leading off the first and gave up a homer to left fielder David Peralta on the next pitch. He allowed at least one baserunner in each of the next four innings, though nobody advanced beyond second.
With Diamondbacks left-hander Patrick Corbin cruising through the first four innings -- during which he allowed one hit while throwing just 45 pitches -- it appeared as if Peralta's homer might be enough to doom Harvey, who has failed to earn a win in 14 career starts in which he allowed one run or fewer.
But the Mets stormed back in the fifth against Corbin, who gave up a long leadoff homer to first baseman Lucas Duda. Two outs later, third baseman Eric Campbell coaxed a walk.
Harvey hit Corbin's next pitch just beyond the orange line above the left-field fence for his first homer since he was with Triple-A Buffalo on April 25, 2012.
The crowd of 36,038 stood and roared as Harvey rounded the bases. Harvey was serenaded with chants of "MATT HAR-VEY" as he crossed home plate and walked into the dugout, where he was mobbed by teammates.
An energized Harvey set down the Diamondbacks in order in the sixth. Shortstop Cliff Pennington (2-for-3) led off the seventh with a single but was erased on an inning-ending double play.
Right-hander Bobby Parnell threw a hitless eighth and right-hander Jeurys Familia earned his 26th save with a perfect ninth.
Shortstop Ruben Tejada added an insurance run with a homer leading off the sixth for the Mets, who improved to 34-5 when scoring at least four runs.
Corbin (1-1) allowed all four runs on four hits and one walk while striking out five over five-plus innings.
NOTES: LHP Jonathon Niese will start for the Mets on Sunday in place of LHP Steven Matz, who was placed on the disabled list Friday because of a torn left lat muscle. ... RHP Noah Syndergaard, who struck out 13 batters on Friday, and RHP Jacob deGrom, who whiffed 10 on Wednesday, became the first Mets pitchers to strike out at least 10 batters in consecutive games since RHP Rick Reed and LHP Kenny Rogers on Oct. 1-2, 1999. ... The Diamondbacks set their rotation for after the All-Star break. LHP Robbie Ray will start Friday and be followed by RHP Jeremy Hellickson, LHP Patrick Corbin, RHP Rubby De La Rosa and RHP Chase Anderson. ... Two Diamondbacks farmhands, INF Jamie Romak and OF Peter O'Brien, will participate in the Triple-A All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday.