Recap: Arizona vs. NY Mets
Sports Network | August 12, 2009
Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Gerardo Parra and Alex Romero both drove in two runs to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 6-2 win over the New York Mets at Chase Field.
Trent Oeltjen finished 4-for-4 with two runs scored for Arizona, which has won the first two of this three-game series following a three-game skid.
"It was a great game all around," said Oeltjen. "We were lucky enough to get some big hits when we needed them."
Max Scherzer (7-6) earned the win after he allowed two runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts over 6 2/3 strong innings.
Jeff Francoeur homered for the injured Mets, who have lost eight of their last 10 games overall. New York third baseman David Wright was the latest victim to sit for the star-studded Mets, who continue to play without Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes. Wright did not start the contest because of what was believed to be a stomach virus but ended up pinch-hitting in the ninth inning.
Livan Hernandez started on the mound for the Mets and lasted only four innings. Hernandez (7-7) yielded five runs on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
"We just weren't able to piece anything together offensively and get guys on base," said Francoeur.
Arizona opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when a fielding error by Alex Cora allowed Stephen Drew -- who had doubled earlier in the inning -- to cross the plate.
Francoeur's leadoff home run in the second knotted the contest.
In the third, Arizona posted three runs to grab a 4-1 advantage. Oeltjen and Parra stroked consecutive singles before a one-out base hit by Miguel Montero scored Oeltjen. Later in the stanza, a two-out, two-run single off the bat of Romero pushed the D'Backs lead further.
The teams traded runs in the fourth. In the top of the frame, Cora's RBI single brought the Mets within 4-2, but Arizona quickly answered in the bottom portion via a sacrifice fly to left by Parra.
The scoring was capped in the seventh on a run-scoring double by Ryan Roberts.
This loss assures the Mets' first series loss in Arizona since 2003...Hernandez, who pitched with the D'Backs from 2006-07, fell to 15-8 lifetime at Chase Field...The Mets committed two errors...Juan Gutierrez and Esmerling Vasquez combined to throw the remaining 2 1/3 shutout innings for Arizona.
