NEW YORK -- In his third start of the season, Ryne Nelson finally looked like the Ryne Nelson the Diamondbacks had grown accustomed to watching pitch every fifth day last year.
Nelson bullied the Mets' hitters with his fastball on a windy and cold Wednesday afternoon at Citi Field as the Diamondbacks evened the series with a 7-2 win.
In his first two starts of the year, Nelson allowed 11 runs (six earned) over 9 1/3 innings, with five of those runs coming in the fifth inning of his last outing when the inning spiraled on him after an ABS challenge went against him to start the frame.
On Wednesday, he held the Mets to just one run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings, and while he walked six in his first two starts, he did not issue a free pass in this one while striking out five.
The Diamondbacks gave him some early runs to work with thanks in large part to Corbin Carroll.
Carroll doubled and scored in the first inning, then doubled home a pair of runs in a four-run second inning that gave Arizona a 5-0 lead.
Carroll finished the day 3-for-5 with two doubles and a triple.