Zack Greinke

D-backs rally to back Greinke, beat Mets

Published Aug. 9, 2016 11:40 p.m. ET

foxsports

NEW YORK -- Once they got Zack Greinke back on the mound, the Arizona Diamondbacks looked a lot better than a last-place team.

The ace won in his return from a six-week stay on the disabled list, Michael Bourn hit a go-ahead triple in the seventh inning and the Diamondbacks rallied past the New York Mets 5-3 Tuesday night.

"It just gets guys invigorated," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "Guys are excited to play behind him."

Greinke (11-3) earned his eighth straight victory. He had been out since June 28, when he strained his left side while batting.

"Today is about as good as it gets," he said. "Everybody kind of clicked. Starter was semi-decent."

Paul Goldschmidt and late substitute Brandon Drury each homered for Arizona, stuck 20 games below .500 and last in the NL West. The Diamondbacks also stole five bases, with a double steal setting up Bourn's two-run liner that erased a 3-2 deficit.

Neil Walker hit his 20th home run for the wild card-contending Mets, who missed a chance to post back-to-back wins for the first time in more than a month.

Greinke gave up three runs on five hits and a walk in six innings. It was the first time he faced the Mets since losing the decisive Game 5 of the NL Division Series last October while with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Felt pretty good," he said. "Pretty solid."

A solid hitter, Greinke took no chances taking big swings. He watched three called strikes in a row his first time up, then put down a sacrifice bunt.

Jake Barrett closed for his fourth save.

Steven Matz was in position for just his second win in 13 starts before Mets reliever Hansel Robles (5-4) got tagged. Matz matched his big league best by striking out nine in six innings, throwing a career-high 120 pitches.

The Mets haven't won two in a row since July 6-7, and are 10-14 since the All-Star break.

"It's definitely frustrating, but I think each of us individually has still got to go about our business and do our own work," Matz said. "We can't worry, this game's over."

Chris Owings doubled off Robles to begin the seventh and pinch-hitter Phil Gosselin drew a one-out walk. They pulled off a double steal before Jean Segura struck out, and Bourn tripled to the right-center gap for a 4-3 lead. Goldschmidt followed with an RBI single.

Drury started in right field in place of Yasmany Tomas, a late scratch because of a stiff neck. Drury hit a leadoff homer in the second and singled. He also made a diving catch on a drive by Matz.

Tomas told Hale that he'd spent the day off Monday watching the Olympics and that his neck began to hurt.

"We'll blame it on a bad pillow," Hale said, adding he wasn't sure if Tomas would feel OK to play Wednesday night.

Goldschmidt hit his 18th homer, a solo shot in the sixth for a 2-1 lead.

Walker hit a two-run homer off Greinke in the sixth, sending a drive into the Arizona bullpen in right-center field.

Arizona came out running, with Segura swiping his 20th base and Bourn also stealing in the first. Rickie Weeks Jr. stole second in the fourth.

The Diamondbacks' bullpen got a bit full during their comeback in the seventh, with several police officers and security officials roaming around. Moments later, a fan sitting above the bullpen was ushered away.

"I think he was yelling, saying some inappropriate stuff," Arizona reliever Adam Loewen said.

Greinke improved to 9-0 with a 1.96 ERA in 12 road starts dating to last season. ... Greinke is 10-0 in his last 15 starts vs. NL East teams and 18-1 in 29 starts against them overall.

Diamondbacks: C Welington Castillo went on the paternity list after wife Kissalry gave birth to a boy. Castillo will miss this series and rejoin the team in Boston on Friday. ... SS Nick Ahmed got a second opinion on his injured right hip from New York Rangers head physician Dr. Bryan Kelly. Ahmed, on the DL since July 22, has an impingement and will get a cortisone shot.

Mets: Switch-hitting INF Jose Reyes (oblique) is still having trouble swinging from the right side. His rehab assignment has been backed up a day or two. ... SS Asdrubal Cabrera (knee) is progressing a bit more slowly than the team expected, general manager Sandy Alderson said. Cabrera has started to hit off a tee. ... OF Yoenis Cespedes (quad) will "hopefully" be ready to come off the DL as soon as he's eligible, Alderson said.

Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (5-11, 4.83 ERA) is averaging 11.31 strikeouts per nine innings. He has fanned at least nine in three straight starts.

Mets: RHP Bartolo Colon (10-6, 3.46) has never beaten the Diamondbacks, the only major league club he hasn't defeated. He is 0-1 in two career starts against them.