Corbin Carroll hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning off Edwin Diaz, part of a two-homer night that gave the Arizona Diamondbacks an 8-5 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday.
The Diamondbacks trailed 5-4 entering the eighth inning but mounted a two-out comeback against Mets closer Diaz (5-3) with a runner on first and promptly walked Pavin Smith and Geraldo Perdomo before Carroll hit his second homer of the game into the right-field seats.
It was Diaz’s sixth blown save of the season.
New York fell four games behind the Atlanta Braves for the final NL wild card. The defending NL champion D-backs have won 21 of 27 to keep pace in a torrid NL West race that includes the Dodgers and Padres.
The Mets overcame an early four-run deficit and took a 5-4 lead in the sixth on Pete Alonso’s sacrifice fly to left field.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. charged down the line and made a perfect throw to the plate, but Starling Marte was able to avoid Adrian Del Castillo’s bunt, getting his right hand around the glove and into the plate. Marte reached base on a bunt single, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout.
The Mets trailed 4-0 going into the fifth inning, but tied the game with a four-run inning. Harrison Bader had the big blow, hitting a two-out, two-run homer to left field that made it 4-4. The blast left Bader’s bat at 110 mph.
Luis Guillorme put the D-backs ahead 1-0 in the second with a two-out RBI single. Arizona signed the veteran infielder on Aug. 20 to provide depth while All-Star Ketel Marte is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Joc Pederson’s two-run homer put Arizona up 3-0 in the third. Carroll added a solo shot in the fourth that traveled 440 feet and made it 4-0. The speedy outfielder has 14 homers in the past 37 games, leading the team’s rise in the standings since the All-Star break.
Mets right-hander Luis Severino struggled for much of his start, needing 100 pitches to navigate 4 2/3 innings. He allowed eight hits and four runs, striking out nine.
Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez pitched four perfect innings to start the game but was tagged for four hits and four runs in the fifth. He was making his fourth start of the year after missing much of the season with a shoulder injury.
Justin Martinez pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save. Ryan Thompson (7-3) earned the win with a scoreless eighth.
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Arizona will start right-hander Ryne Nelson (9-6, 4.29 ERA) on Thursday afternoon. The Mets counter with left-hander David Peterson (8-1, 2.85).
