Collmenter hurt by long ball in Arizona’s 6-3 loss to Mets

PHOENIX (AP) -- Josh Collmenter left the ball over the middle of the plate and the New York Mets hit it over the wall.

So much for a third straight series win for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Collmenter gave up a career-high four homers, including three to lead off innings, and the Diamondbacks lost to the Mets 6-3 Sunday for a split in the four-game series.

"Anytime you are giving up balls out of the park you are not doing a very good job," Collmenter said. "To give up a run and then they came back and got a couple for me, you've got to try to keep the lead and I wasn't able to do that."

Curtis Granderson led off the game with a home run, had another to start the fifth and the Mets hit all four of their homers off Collmenter (3-6) in six innings to move back atop the NL East.

Eric Campbell hit a two-run homer in the second inning and Wilmer Flores led off the sixth with a solo shot. Juan Lagares also had three hits, helping the Mets break out offensively after scoring three combined runs the previous two games in the desert.

New York's pitching held up its end, too.

DeGrom (7-4) recovered after a shaky first inning to win his fourth straight decision. Hansel Robles was sharp in the eighth and Jeurys Familia worked a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 18 tries, aided by fine defensive plays from Lagares and Flores.

"This is the kind of game you have to have if you're going to be successful," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "You've got to be able to put some runs on the board so your pitchers have room to breathe, and today was a good one for us."

Collmenter had held opponents to three earned runs or fewer in each of his previous three starts.

The Mets had that many against him in the first two innings.

Granderson opened with his third leadoff homer this season, 31st of his career, and Campbell added a two-run shot in the second to put the Mets up 3-2.

Granderson hit another leadoff homer in the fifth, hitting a ball deep into the seats in right. Flores took his turn to open the sixth, hitting his ninth homer of the season to put New York up 5-2.

Collmenter allowed five runs and nine hits in six innings.

"If he is up and out over the plate, they get him," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. "He has to either get it up and in or up and cutting it off the plate where they chase it. He just hasn't had good location, and big leaguers hurt you."

Last season's NL Rookie of the Year, deGrom was sharp over his previous four starts, allowing three earned runs in 29 1-3 innings while striking out 34 and walking one.

The Diamondbacks jumped on him early.

Ender Inciarte led off the first inning with a double, the first extra-base hit deGrom had allowed in 33 1-3 innings over five starts. Paul Goldschmidt drove in one run on a fielder's choice - with help from Campbell's throwing error at third base - and David Peralta made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.

After the opening inning, deGrom settled down, stringing together six strikeouts in seven at-bats before allowing a run in the sixth on Chris Owings' bunt single. The right-hander yielded three runs - two earned - and five hits in his sixth career game with at least 10 strikeouts.

"He has them all (pitches) and he is athletic and moves the ball around," Hale said. "He is a very good pitcher."

HERNANDEZ RETURNS

Arizona reliever David Hernandez made his first appearance in the majors since Sept. 29, 2013.

The right-hander missed the 2014 season due to Tommy John surgery and entered Sunday's game in the eighth to a nice ovation from the crowd. He walked one and got a strikeout in the inning.

"I don't really remember much," Hernandez said. "I just remember my heart beating really fast. Like I was making my debut all over again."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: Flores was back in the lineup after sitting out Saturday with general soreness. He finished 1 for 4.

Diamondbacks: 3B Jake Lamb was back in the starting lineup for the first time since returning from a stint on the DL with a left foot stress reaction. He went 0 for 4.

UP NEXT

Mets: Rookie RHP Noah Syndergaard, the scheduled starter Tuesday night against San Francisco, is the first Mets pitcher to have at least five strikeouts in his first five games in the majors.

Diamondbacks: Right-handers are hitting .194 against RHP Rubby De La Rosa, who will start Monday in the opener of a three-game series at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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