Diamondbacks out-slugged by Mets in back-and-forth 4th of July loss

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets took turns blasting lead-changing home runs during a high-scoring Fourth of July matchup at Chase Field on Tuesday.

The National League foes combined for six homers — three each — but New York’s big hits came with runners aboard while the D-backs left meat on the bone in an 8-5 loss.

Arizona did not go away without another fight, though. Trailing 8-4 in the ninth inning, the D-backs rallied to get the go-ahead run up with two down, but a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. groundout ended the game.

“We came out and played a good game, we just didn’t close the deal in certain areas at certain times,” manager Torey Lovullo said postgame. “We were a swing away from tying the game, a swing away from winning the game despite some rugged circumstances that got us to that point. I was proud of the way we fought … that critical at-bat, that critical pitch that needed to be made, we lost that inch today.”

The D-backs produced three solo home runs from Corbin Carroll, Christian Walker and Gurriel off Mets starter Max Scherzer, with Walker and Gurriel going back-to-back in the third inning.

They had the bases loaded twice and scored a pair of runs off walks but “couldn’t get that big slug,” as Lovullo put it. Arizona left nine runners aboard.

New York’s three home runs brought home six runs, and rookie catcher Francisco Alvarez put the Mets up for good with a 467-foot, two-run homer in the seventh to jump ahead 6-4 off Miguel Castro.

D-backs starter Zach Davies allowed a pair of jacks: a three-run shot to Starling Marte in the fourth and solo homer to Brandon Nimmo in the fifth. Marte’s shot gave New York a 3-1 lead, and Nimmo’s a 4-3 advantage.

Francisco Alvarez. 😳

That ball had a family. pic.twitter.com/iTIaZq7Fqp

— MLB (@MLB) July 4, 2023

Davies got two outs in the sixth before his day concluded. He allowed only three singles aside from the two home runs and kept Arizona in the game. The D-backs trailed 4-3 when he walked off at 5.2 innings, four earned runs, two walks and six strikeouts. 

Davies felt like he largely kept up the momentum from his seven scoreless innings last week against the Tampa Bay Rays.

“To me, it came down to two pitches,” Davies said.

Marte’s home run came off a 1-2 changeup, while Nimmo took advantage of a nearly middle-middle sinker on a 2-2 count.

Davies explained adjustments he needs to make with sequencing in the pitch clock era, pointing out how quick he has to regroup from pitch to pitch. He felt like changing Marte’s and Nimmo’s eye levels more effectively would have altered the outcome.

Arizona’s bullpen, coming off a 10-day stretch with a 1.96 group ERA, did not hold the Mets in check to keep the game tight. New York scored in each of the final three innings off Castro, Austin Adams and Jose Ruiz.

Both teams played clean defensive games with highlight plays, one of which impacted Arizona’s comeback bid in the ninth.

Nimmo robbed Geraldo Perdomo of a hit with a diving catch in center field with one out and a runner aboard.

Brandon Nimmo makes the catch! pic.twitter.com/49puHPqioF

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 4, 2023

From there, Dominic Fletcher walked, Carroll singled and Walker reached base on balls to set up Gurriel against Mets closer David Robertson.

“Right guy at the right spot, hit the ball hard just to the shortstop,” Lovullo said.

The D-backs have dropped two straight and are 10-11 over the past 21 games.

Carroll’s stellar return

Carroll was back in the lineup for the first time since Thursday due to right shoulder soreness, and he quickly impacted the game.

With a loud crowd — Tuesday’s announced attendance was 41,670 — Carroll smacked an opposite field shot off Scherzer to open the scoring.

Corbin Carroll goes yard the other way off Max Scherzer, in front of a packed crowd and in his first start since Thursday (shoulder) #Dbacks

pic.twitter.com/nKrzrF96Wh

— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) July 4, 2023

He finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI walk, an eight-pitch at-bat to tie the game 4-4 in the fifth inning.

Up next

The D-backs will fight off a series loss Wednesday night with Tommy Henry on the hill against New York’s Kodai Senga.

Henry has allowed four earned runs in his last 18.1 innings (1.96 ERA).

First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. on 98.7, the Arizona Sports app and ArizonaSports.com. 

Follow @alexjweiner