NEW YORK — Starling Marte hit a bases-loaded triple in the first inning and drove in four runs, JD Martinez homered for the second straight game and the New York Mets held off the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 10-9 skid on Friday night.
Trailing by five points and reaching the final, the Diamondbacks got a three-run homer from Joc Pederson and a solo shot from Christian Walker on consecutive pitches from Reed Garrett before he struck out Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
“I got the job done,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Mark Vientos had three singles and two RBIs hours after taking the day job at third base when the The Mets made a number of roster changes. Luis Severino (3-2) recovered from a rough start and New York (24-33) won consecutive games for the first time since May 6-7 in St. Louis.
“It’s been a while,” Mendoza said. “It feels good and we will move forward. We have a lot of good players.”
The brief winning streak comes after Francisco Lindor called a players-only meeting following a 10-3 loss Wednesday to the Dodgers that left the frustrated Mets with 15 losses in 19 games.
“I think it made a tangible difference,” outfielder Brandon Nimmo said, “kind of confronting the elephant in the room.”
Vientos said the atmosphere in the clubhouse has been “completely different” since the meeting and everyone is “following the energy” provided by Lindor at the opening.
“We walk in and the room looks lit,” Vientos said. “It’s a children’s game. Let’s have fun and just play.”
Lindor had two more hits on Friday, including an RBI double that extended his hitting streak to 10 games, after going 4-for-4 with a home run on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series against Arizona.
Eugenio Suárez hit his 250th career home run and Pederson had four RBIs for the Diamondbacks (25-32), who lost their fifth in a row. The defending National League champions have lost a season-worst seven games under .500.
“I feel like my sinker just became (batting practice) now,” starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery said. “I have to find a way to get him moving and staying in the zone. But, I just wasted a good offensive night for the guys tonight and really messed it up for them.
New York has won 21 of the last 25 games against the Diamondbacks and 17 of the last 19 games at home.
Pete Alonso added an RBI double on Fireworks Night at Citi Field as the Mets blitzed Montgomery (3-3) and finished with 14 total hits. After trailing 3-0, they scored four times in the bottom of the first and reached double figures in runs for the first time since a 16-4 win on April 11 in Atlanta.
“I feel like I’m just playing and not even pitching anymore,” said Montgomery, who gave up a career-high nine hits and eight runs in four innings. The lefty has a 5.48 ERA after eight starts with his new team.
Marte’s triple to left center was just the second all year for New York. Martinez launched a two-run homer to right in the sixth. Both players spent part of a season in Arizona.
“Everyone is starting to pick up their pace,” Marte said through a translator.
After managing just nine runs in the previous six games, Arizona scored three in the first inning before Severino settled down. He threw 97 pitches in 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs – four earned – and six hits.
The right-hander said at the start of the game that he wasn’t feeling well, so he talked to the team’s nutritionist and cheered himself up after chewing some energy gummies.
“He kept fighting. He found a way,” Mendoza said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamonds: RHP Zac Gallen placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained right hamstring and RHP Slade Cecconi was recalled from Triple-A Reno. … All-Star shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (right meniscus tear) was scheduled to collect three hits as DH during his first rehab game in the Arizona Complex League.
Mets: C Francisco Alvarez (left thumb surgery) had a day off planned on his rehab assignment after hitting a three-run homer Thursday in his first game at Double-A Binghamton. He is scheduled to catch seven innings on Saturday. … RHP Drew Smith (shoulder soreness) pitched a perfect inning for Triple-A Syracuse. One more rehab outing and he could be ready to come off the injured list, Mendoza said.
NEXT
In a pregame ceremony on Saturday, the Mets will retire the number 18 worn by outfielder Darryl Strawberry from 1983-90.
Cecconi (1-4, 6.12 ERA) will start for Arizona instead of LHP Blake Walston. LHP Sean Manaea (3-1, 3.16) goes to New York.
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