Mets ride Harvey's arm, homer past D-backs
NEW YORK -- Without his fifth-inning heroics, Matt Harvey's seven innings of five-hit ball might not have been enough. But the righty added a major twist to his repertoire, hitting his first career home run to give New York a lead it wouldn't relent on its way to a 4-2 win over the D-backs on Saturday at Citi Field.
"I was swinging first pitch no matter what," Harvey said. "The big thing going around now is that we [Mets pitchers] can rake. I wasn't doing my job very well. I think that might have helped the cause a little bit."
Harvey belted his two-run blast in the fifth off D-backs starter Patrick Corbin, who allowed four hits -- three of them homers. Once given a lead, Harvey held it, facing the minimum six batters over his final two innings before giving way to two Mets relievers. The righty battled sporadic control issues (four walks) and allowed a two-run homer to David Peralta in the first. After that he scattered four hits and struck out nine.
Video: ARI@NYM: Harvey crushes first MLB homer for the lead
Corbin excelled at times during his second start since his March 2014 procedure, striking out four straight batters between the second and third and retiring 10 consecutive hitters at one point. But he couldn't keep the Mets in the ballpark. New York, which entered play ranked 24th in baseball in big flies, was happy to oblige.
For the second straight game that meant a home run from resurgent slugger Lucas Duda, this one a solo shot to left in the fifth. The Mets also received a solo homer from Ruben Tejada in the sixth en route to their sixth win in eight games.
Video: ARI@NYM: Familia fans Salty to close out save
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Harvey hammers one: As crazy as it sounds, Harvey entered play the only Mets starting pitcher hitting below .100. Consider him a threat at the plate now, as well, after he rocketed Corbin's first pitch over the 370 sign in the fifth. Harvey clapped his hands rounding first and returned to a crazed dugout, while many of the 36,038 at Citi Field chanted his name. More >
Corbin health a plus: The results might not have been what he wanted, but Corbin appeared to come through his second post-Tommy John surgery start healthy. Corbin hit 96 mph on the radar gun and had a shutout through four before things began to unravel in the fifth.
"Everything felt good," Corbin said. "I felt like I got a little bit better from the last time. The slider today felt really good. The changeup, as well." More >
Video: ARI@NYM: Corbin fans Plawecki to strike out the side
Duda doubles up: New York's first baseman may not be happy to see the All-Star break coming after he's finally wrestled free of his slump. Duda hit just one homer in June to go along with a .187 average. He's hit two homers in the last two games. Their locations -- Friday's went to center, Saturday's to left-center -- should be encouraging for the sometimes pull-happy lefty.
"He got to the Major Leagues because that's where his power was -- to center and left-center. When he stays middle of the field, he's real dangerous," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Even though it was a prolonged downturn for him a little bit, I think he's starting to come out of it." More >
Video: ARI@NYM: Duda's solo homer puts Mets on the board
Good first: The game started off in promising fashion for the D-backs when A.J. Pollock drew a leadoff walk and Peralta followed with a home run to right-center. The offense, though, was shut down after that by Harvey and two relievers.
"I was looking for a fastball," Peralta said. "I know he's a fastball thrower and he's got a pretty good fastball, and I was thinking he was going to throw it the first pitch and it was a fastball right down the middle and I had a good swing and the ball was gone."
QUOTABLE
"Thor doesn't have anything over Bam Bam anymore," Collins, on Harvey joining Noah Syndergaard as Mets pitchers to homer this year.
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Harvey joined Syndergaard as the two Mets pitchers to go deep this season. The last time multiple Mets pitchers hit homers in the same season? You have to go back to 1997 when Rick Reed, Mark Clark and Armando Reynoso did it.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
The umpires decided to review Harvey's home run in the fifth inning as part of a crew chief review to see if it would have still been a homer had a fan not reached over the railing to catch it. The ruling on the field of a home run was confirmed by replay officials.
WHAT'S NEXT
D-backs: Rubby De La Rosa will try to close out the first half of the season on a positive note Sunday at 10:10 a.m. MST against the Mets. De La Rosa has been up and down in the first half. In his last start, he allowed six runs in five innings while in his previous four he had a 1.30 ERA.
Mets: Jon Niese will move up a spot to pitch in place of injured Steven Matz as the Mets close out this three-game series against the D-backs, and the season's first half, at 1:10 ET at Citi Field. Then on Tuesday, starting pitcher Jacob deGrom will represent the Mets at the 86th All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile.
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