J.D. Martinez hit the tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth inning Thursday night for the host New York Mets, who earned a much-needed win by edging the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 in the opener of a four-game series.
The win was just the second in the past 10 games for the Mets, who are 8-19 this month. The Diamondbacks, who lost starting pitcher Zac Gallen after just six pitches due to a right hamstring strain, have lost four in a row and five of six.
Francisco Lindor, who called a team meeting after Wednesday’s 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, was 4-for-4 with a third-inning homer and the game-tying RBI single off Ryan Thompson (2-2) in the seventh. The four-hit game was the second of the season for Lindor and the 10th of his career.
Thompson retired Brandon Nimmo leading off the eighth before Martinez, who hit 29 homers in just 62 games for the Diamondbacks in 2017, homered to straightaway center on the next pitch.
Danny Young (2-2), who was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse earlier Thursday after the Mets designated for assignment reliever Jorge Lopez, struck out two in a perfect eighth.
Reed Garrett earned his third save by working around a leadoff walk to Christian Walker in the ninth.
Starling Marte had two hits and a stolen base for the Mets.
Ketel Marte had a two-run double in the third for the Diamondbacks, who used six relievers after Gallen’s exit. Gallen gave up Lindor’s leadoff single before getting hurt while throwing his first pitch to DJ Stewart.
The six pitches were the second-fewest thrown by an Arizona pitcher in franchise history and the fewest by a traditional starter. Joe Mantiply threw five pitchers and got two outs as an opener against the Texas Rangers on Aug. 21, 2023.
Justin Martinez had the longest outing by a Diamondbacks reliever Thursday, when he allowed three hits over three scoreless innings.
–Field Level Media