Diamondbacks lose to Mets 5-4 after rally falls short

PHOENIX — Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer, Pete Alonso launched a two-run shot and the New York Mets held on late to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 on Monday night.

Lindor turned on a slider from Ryan Thompson in the seventh inning, driving it over the right-center fence for what looked like a comfortable 5-1 lead. 

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But the D-backs closed the gap in the eighth, loading the bases with no outs when reliever Dedniel Núñez walked three straight in his first major league outing this season after coming off the injured list. Reed Garrett entered and struck out Pavin Smith, but Josh Naylor’s single made it 5-2 and Eugenio Suarez followed with a two-run single off the center-field wall that cut the margin to 5-4.

With the potential tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first, Garrett struck out Gabriel Moreno and retired Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on a foul popup to end the threat.

Arizona threatened again in the ninth against closer Edwin Díaz when leadoff hitter Alek Thomas reached on Alonso’s throwing error at first base. The Mets responded when catcher Francisco Alvarez caught Thomas trying to steal second with the help of a sensational tag by Lindor. Díaz then retired Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll for his eighth save. 

Alonso’s two-run homer in the fourth — his 10th of the season — was a no-doubter, traveling 425 feet deep into the left-field stands to give New York a 2-1 advantage.

Griffin Canning (5-1) gave up one run and six hits over five innings, becoming the first Mets pitcher to win five straight starts since Zack Wheeler in 2018. He struck out six.

Carroll hit a leadoff homer to give the D-backs a 1-0 lead. Ryne Nelson (1-1) allowed two runs and three hits over 4 1/3 innings in his first start of the season.

Garrett permitted two sharp hits in the eighth, but was ultimately able to clean up Núñez’s mess and preserve a 5-4 lead.

Lindor loves playing in Arizona. He came into Monday’s game with a .364 batting average, three homers, five doubles, three triples and seven RBIs in 15 games at Chase Field.

LHP David Peterson (2-1, 3.06 ERA) starts for the Mets against Arizona RHP Zac Gallen (2-4, 4.93) on Tuesday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, NBA’s Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.

Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL’s Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.

The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football’s Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.

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