PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks’ offense has been downright abysmal through much of the season’s first two weeks.
Even so, first baseman Christian Walker didn’t panic. He just figured the team was due.
Arizona responded with a season-high 11 hits, Humberto Castellanos pitched five solid innings and the Diamondbacks cooled off the New York Mets by beating them 5-2 on Saturday night.
It’s been a struggle so far for D-backs hitters, who came into the game with an MLB-worst .180 batting average. But Daulton Varsho led off with a single and the rest of the offense followed suit: Varsho, Pavin Smith, Carson Kelly and Geraldo Perdomo all had two hits. Walker doubled and added an RBI.
“From our perspective, it was just a matter of time,” Walker said. “Call it a slow start or whatever, but this is who we thought we were going to be. It’s just a matter of repeating and executing every day.”
The Diamondbacks have won three of their last four. The NL East-leading Mets lost for just the second time in seven games.
“Sometimes it’s your night, sometimes it’s not,” said Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who was hitless and struck out two times in four at-bats.
The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the first and scored a pair of runs in the second — aided by a Mets defensive miscue — to push their advantage to 3-0.
Arizona had runners on first and second with one out when Perdomo’s bouncing bunt gave New York trouble. Mets third baseman Eduardo Escobar bumped into pitcher Trevor Williams while fielding the ball, which delayed Escobar’s throw and allowed Perdomo to reach and load the bases.
Varsho followed with a line-drive RBI single that deflected off the glove of leaping second baseman Robinson Cano. Ketel Marte’s fielder’s choice brought home the second run.
Arizona got a good spot start from Castellanos (1-0), who gave up two runs on four hits and struck out five. Joe Mantiply earned his first career save with a scoreless ninth.
Third baseman Sergio Alcántara made a stellar defensive play for the final out, diving for a grounder down the line before throwing across the diamond to complete the play.
“A lot of good things happened inside of the concept of being a team,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We scored runs without getting base hits, we executed with the barrel of our bats in key situations and we made pitches after not making perfect defensive plays.”
Williams (0-2) took the loss in a spot start of his own after giving up four runs on seven hits over two innings.
BANG, BANG
In a rarity, the Diamondbacks and Mets both had a runner called out on the bases after they were hit by a batted ball.
Smith’s hot shot hit Arizona teammate Seth Beer, who was trying to advance from first to second in the fifth. Then in the seventh, New York’s Jeff McNeil hit a hard grounder that bounced off Cano’s foot.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: Sean Reid-Foley pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to keep New York in the game but had to leave with an athletic trainer because of leg cramps that started when he tried to cover first base. … Mets manager Buck Showalter said RHP Jacob deGrom (stress reaction, right scapula) recently had another MRI to check on his healing progress. Showalter called it a “good sign.”
Diamondbacks: RHP Sean Poppen was placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. RHP Corbin Martin was called up from Triple-A to take his spot on the roster.
ROSTER MOVES
Mets: LHP David Peterson was sent to Triple-A following Friday night’s solid start. RHP Adonis Medina took his spot on the roster. Showalter said Peterson will likely be called up again on May 3 to pitch during a scheduled doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves.
Diamondbacks: OF Stuart Fairchild was traded to the Seattle Mariners for cash. Fairchild was recently designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
The Diamondbacks send LHP Madison Bumgarner (0-1, 1.38 ERA) to the mound to face RHP Tylor Megill (2-0, 2.20) in Sunday’s series finale.
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