Michael Conforto showed signs of ending a prolonged slump Rich Hill Los Angeles Dodgers Jersey , and the New York Mets got some much-needed offense for a rare win Saturday night.
Conforto homered for the second time in three games and drove in a career high four runs, Steven Matz pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Mets beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1.
Conforto lined a three-run homer in the second inning, and that was all the support Matz needed against one of baseball’s hottest teams. Matz (3-4) allowed a run, six hits and a walk with three strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.
”Trying to stay behind it a little bit, that’s the best way I can explain it,” said Conforto, who was 2 for 29 over his last nine games. ”It’s something that I’ve been through before.”
The Mets ended a four-game losing streak and have won just two of their last 14 games. The Diamondbacks lost for just the second time in nine games.
”Doing some things that we’d been talking about as far as basic baseball I think is big for us,” Conforto said. ”We know we’re better players than the product has been.”
New York made it 4-0 in the third when Amed Rosario led off with a double and scored on starter Patrick Corbin’s wild pitch. The Mets had scored three or fewer runs in 11 straight games.
Corbin got into another jam in the sixth but got some help from center fielder Chris Owings David Dahl Colorado Rockies Jersey , who threw out Brandon Nimmo trying to score from second base on a shallow single. With two outs in the inning, Conforto doubled into the right-field corner to drive in another run.
”You give up three quick runs the way Matz was throwing, it was a little too much for us to play some catch-up,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.
Corbin (6-3) surrendered five runs and eight hits in six innings with seven strikeouts.
”Take a way a couple of pitches there, I think it could have been decent,” Corbin said. ”They just did a good job, made it tough. I got the pitch count up there a little bit and they made me work.”
The Diamondbacks made it 5-1 in the sixth with Nick Ahmed’s double and Paul Goldschmidt’s RBI groundout.
Arizona loaded the bases in the seventh against Matz and reliever Robert Gsellman, who rode onto the field in the Diamondbacks’ new bullpen cart. Gsellman got Ahmed to ground into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.
”Honestly Authentic Saquon Barkley Jersey , after the second inning it all clicked for me and I started feeling really good out there,” Matz said.
The Mets’ Anthony Swarzak struck out the side in the ninth to end it.
GREET THE METS
Most of the right field seats at Chase Field on Saturday night were taken up by hundreds of chanting Mets fans in blue shirts representing a group called the Seven Line Army. It bills itself on Twitter as ”the largest traveling supporter section in baseball history.”
The group went crazy as Conforto’s home run sailed into its area, and roared again when Conforto took his position in center field and waved before the start of the bottom of the second.
The fans serenaded Mets pinch hitter Jose Reyes with a soccer-style cheer in the ninth while he was at bat.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: Reliever Jeurys Familia is with the team in Arizona and is eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday. He’s been out with a sore right shoulder since June 7. Mets manager Mickey Callaway said he ”wouldn’t be afraid” to go to Familia in the eighth or ninth inning right away. … OF Jay Bruce is expected to be in Sunday’s lineup after missing the past three games with a sore back. … RHP Noah Syndergaard (right index finger) is moving closer to starting a throwing program.
Diamondbacks: RHP Shelby Miller (Tommy John surgery rehab) made a strong start for Class A Visalia on Saturday night, allowing three hits in 6 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts. … LHP Robbie Ray (oblique) will throw up to 70 pitches Tuesday for Triple-A Reno. … RHP Randall Delgado (oblique) is set for one inning of work for Reno on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler (2-5) is set for his fourth career start at Chase Field. He has 1.93 ERA in three previous starts.
Diamondbacks: RHP Clay Buchholz (1-1) faces the Mets. He has allowed two runs or fewer in four of his five starts this season.
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Mike Foltynewicz loves trying to one-up his fellow hurlers in the Atlanta Braves red-hot pitching rotation.
He kept even with cohorts by tossing five shutout innings and Freddie Freeman homered as the Atlanta Braves held off the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Sunday.
”It’s like a friendly competition with a fun group of guys,” Foltynewicz said. ”It’s a good vibe.”
The Braves outscored St. Louis 22-10 in sweeping a three-game series in St. Louis for the first time since May 11-13, 2012.
Tommy Pham homered for St. Louis, which has lost four in a row. The Cardinals scored five times in the seventh to rally from a 6-0 deficit.
Foltynewicz matched Julio Teheran and Max Fried to post the Braves third successive scoreless appearance by a starter. Teheran tossed six scoreless innings a 5-1 win on Friday. Fried did not allow a run in 6 2-3 innings of an 11-4 victory on Saturday.
”They’ve been awesome,” said Atlanta infielder Charlie Culberson http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-sebastian-janikowski-jersey , who had two hits and drove in two runs on Sunday, ”It makes it easier for us (hitters). A little bit more relaxed for us going up there.”
Foltynewicz (6-4) surrendered one hit – a fourth-inning single to Marcell Ozuna. He struck out nine and walked three in an 86-pitch outing.
”He never gave in, he kept grinding,” manager Brian Snitker said.
Foltynewicz has allowed just two hits and one run over 10 innings in two outings since coming off the disabled list with tightness in his right tricepts on June 25.
”He was kind of wildly effective,” St. Louis infielder Kolten Wong said. ”When you’re throwing as hard as he was, it makes it tough.”
The Braves three starters allowed seven hits over 17 2-3 innings with 24 strikeouts in the series.
”We’ve been feeding off each other,” Foltynewicz said. ”We’re always pulling for each other, pushing each other Kerryon Johnson Color Rush Jersey , asking questions. We hang around together and you can see that we take it out to the mound. It’s been a really fun time.”
A.J. Minter picked up his third save in as many tries by setting the side down in order in the ninth. He has not allowed a run in his last seven appearances.
Freeman’s 16th homer of the season, a two-run drive, pushed the lead to 3-0 in sixth. The blow highlighted a five-run uprising that also included a run-scoring hit from Culberson.
Pham hit a three-run homer off Peter Moylan in the seventh to bring the Cardinals to within 6-5.
St. Louis starter John Gant (2-3) allowed four runs on four hits over 5 1-3 innings.
”I’ve definitely got to do better,” Gant said. ”Came out on the losing end, so anytime that happens, improvements need to be made.”
Francisco Pena had a two-run single in the seventh for St. Louis, which will play 17 of its next 20 games on the road.
The Braves have been in first place or tied for first in 60 of the last 62 days. They kicked off their 10-game road trip in style.
”To come out and win the first three games, that’s really nice http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-isaac-yiadom-jersey ,” Culberson said. ”But this series is done. We took care of business. Time to move on.”
Atlanta infielder Ozzie Albies extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a sixth-inning single.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: C Tyler Flowers returned to the starting lineup after missing Saturday’s game. He suffered a muscle cramp in the sixth inning of Friday’s 5-1 win.
Cardinals: RHP Luke Gregerson began a rehab stint with Triple-A Memphis on Sunday. He did not allow a hit over one inning. Gregerson was placed on the 10-day disabled list with shoulder impingement on May 16.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Anibal Sanchez (3-2, 2.68) will face RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (2-0, 1.93) in the first of a three-game series against the Yankees in New York. Sanchez is 4-1 in six lifetime starts against the Yankees.
Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (4-4, 3.22) takes on Arizona LHP Robbie Ray (3-0, 4.01) in the opener of a three-game series in Arizona that kicks off a nine-game road trip. Martinez is 2-0 in three starts at Chase Field.
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