Diamondbacks 3 - 4 Mets
Final
  for this game

Santana finally back in win column, Mets edge D'Backs

May 6, 2012 - 2:49 AM

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Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Johan Santana tossed seven strong innings to earn his first win since the 2010 season as the New York Mets downed the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-3, in the middle test of a three-game series at Citi Field.

Santana (1-2) scattered nine hits and three runs with a walk and five strikeouts for his first victory since September 2, 2010 at Atlanta.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner missed all of last season after having surgery on his shoulder.

"To get that first one in and out of the way is always good. I think any time you win a game it's definitely a good feeling," said Santana.

Andres Torres and Mike Nickeas each knocked in a pair of runs for the Mets, who snapped a four-game slide. Frank Francisco stranded the tying run on second base in the ninth to capture his sixth save of the year.

Patrick Corbin (1-1) allowed four runs on five hits and two walks through 3 1/3 innings to suffer the loss as Arizona dropped its third game in four tries.

"I think I was trying to be a little bit too perfect and trying to throw a perfect pitch instead of attacking them better," Corbin said about his performance.

Arizona struck first with Ryan Roberts' solo home run over the left-field wall in the second inning.

The Mets stranded a runner on second in the second and third innings, but were able to break through in the fourth after loading the bases on consecutive singles by Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner, and a Kirk Nieuwenhuis walk.

Nickeas then slapped a base hit to right field to bring home Murphy and Turner, knocking Corbin out of the game.

Josh Collmenter entered next and after Santana's sacrifice bunt placed runners on second and third, Torres' soft liner to center field scored Nieuwenhuis and Nickeas to give New York a 4-1 lead.

The Diamondbacks answered in the fifth when A.J. Pollock led off the frame with a single and Justin Upton added a base hit before both came around to score on Paul Goldschmidt's two-out double down the left-field line to bring Arizona within one.

Santana then stranded a man on second in the sixth and Bobby Parnell also left the tying run on second in the eight before Francisco issued a one-out walk to pinch-hitter Lyle Overbay in the ninth.

Pinch-runner Willie Bloomquist quickly stole second during an Aaron Hill at- bat to place the tying run in scoring position, but Hill eventually struck out and Upton also went down swinging to end the game.

Game Notes

The Mets improved to 51-50 all-time against the Diamondbacks...Santana is 3-0 in five career starts against Arizona...Mets third baseman David Wright went 0-for-4 to snap his 10-game hit streak...Hill went 0-for-5 to snap his streak of 21 straight games in which he reached base safely.






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