Harvey, Mayberry carry Mets over D-backs
PHOENIX -- The Mets scored three runs in the sixth inning to erase an early deficit and give Matt Harvey all the support he would need to beat the D-backs, 6-2, on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at Chase Field.
The D-backs grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on a homer by Jarrod Saltalamacchia, but that advantage disappeared in the sixth as the Mets sent seven men to the plate and got a two-run double from Kevin Plawecki and a sacrifice fly from Ruben Tejada to take a 3-2 lead.
The win was the first for Harvey (6-3) since May 1, moving New York into sole possession of first place in the NL East for the first time since May 18.
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The Mets added insurance runs in the eighth on pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson's RBI single and John Mayberry Jr. drove a ninth-inning, two-run homer off Daniel Hudson to cap a 4-for-5 day at the plate.
"It's great," Mayberry said. "It's good to get in there and help the team come out on top. Harvey had a great outing and it's nice to pick him up."
Video: NYM@ARI: Mayberry collects four hits, belts home run
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Harvey regains form: Though Harvey was not at his sharpest, giving up solo home runs to Saltalamacchia and Paul Goldschmidt in the second and the sixth, respectively, that was all he allowed. The right-hander struck out nine batters and scattered four other hits -- all singles -- over seven innings. More >
Video: NYM@ARI: Harvey fans Tomas to end the 3rd
Pitching out of trouble: The Mets put the first two runners on in the first and second innings, but D-backs starter Robbie Ray was able to get out of both situations without any runs scoring. Ray did have to expend a lot of effort as well as pitches in order to do so and it would come back to haunt him as he had to leave after five scoreless innings when his pitch count reached 110.
"I just told myself to bear down," Ray said. "I was able to get out of it with nothing so I think mentally, it's more than anything physical, it's the mental aspect of the game.
Video: NYM@ARI: Ray gets out of early jam in the 1st
Three in the sixth: Struggling all month to find his footing at the plate, Plawecki gave the Mets their first lead of the game with a two-run double over center fielder A.J. Pollock's head in the sixth. Two batters later, Tejada hit a sacrifice fly to Pollock, giving the Mets a two-run lead. Also playing a key role in that rally was Mayberry Jr., whose four-hit night was more than his previous 12 games combined.
Video: NYM@ARI: Tejada plates Plawecki with sacrifice fly
Rough debut: Dominic Leone, who arrived at Chase Field just prior to batting practice after being acquired in a trade from Seattle on Wednesday, made his D-backs debut in the sixth and allowed the first five batters he faced to reach base as the Mets grabbed the lead. More >
"He was just up in the zone," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "He was just leaving his breaking balls up, fastball was up. He knew it. As soon as he came in he said, 'I can't pitch up like that.' It's just tough, you know, he's just trying to impress his teammates and impress his new fans and probably trying a little too hard. He'll get it."
Video: NYM@ARI: Hale on Ray's outing, 6-2 loss to Mets
QUOTABLE
"For me, it was more of an anger than anything. I just tried to keep them off the board." --Harvey on how he was able to recover from Saltalamacchia's homer to claim the win
Video: NYM@ARI: Harvey on 6-2 win, Murphy on injury
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Mets closer Jeurys Familia struck out Goldschmidt in the eighth inning en route to a five-out save, his third straight outing of at least five outs. Prior to this stretch, 13 of Familia's 14 saves had been three outs or fewer. More >
Video: NYM@ARI: Familia earns the save in Mets' win
WHAT'S NEXT
Mets: Jon Niese will continue to search for answers when he faces the D-backs in Friday night's 9:40 p.m. ET game at Chase Field. Niese is 0-3 in his last four starts, giving up 20 runs in 20 innings to cast doubt upon his status as a member of the rotation.
D-backs: The D-backs take on the Mets at 6:40 p.m. MT on Friday night with Jeremy Hellickson getting the start. Hellickson had been scheduled to start Thursday, but was pushed back a day when the D-backs called up Ray and elected to start him Thursday.
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