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New York Mets’ Mark Vientos hits a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
NEW YORK (AP) — Wrong time for Arizona ace Zac Gallen to have one of his worst games all season.
Gallen was hit hard Wednesday night in a damaging loss for the Diamondbacks as Pete Alonso and Mark Vientos powered the New York Mets to a 7-1 victory.
Arizona dropped into a tie for the third National League wild card with Cincinnati, which won 4-3 at Detroit. Miami and San Francisco are both a half-game behind in a crowded race for the final NL playoff spot.
“I just think we’re trying to do too much, for sure,” manager Torey Lovullo said.
Just back from the minors, Joey Lucchesi (3-0) carried a shutout into the eighth inning and the fourth-place Mets (67-78) improved to 5-1 against Arizona. They battered the Diamondbacks for the second consecutive night and have outscored them 36-15 this year.
“He pretty much just beat us with one pitch,” designated hitter Evan Longoria said. “He just executed the fastball to both sides of the plate, and we didn’t do a very good job of making adjustments. But give him credit. He made pitches when he needed to. Just frustrated us all night, pretty much.”
Alonso ranks second in the majors with 108 RBIs. He had an RBI single in the first and a two-run double in the fifth off Gallen (15-8), who was coming off the first nine-inning shutout of his career. The right-hander held the Chicago Cubs to three hits in a 1-0 victory last Friday with the wind blowing in at Wrigley Field.
This time, with Arizona in need of another quality outing, he was tagged for seven runs — six earned — and eight hits over five-plus innings in a disappointing performance that hurt his Cy Young Award chances.
“Just didn’t make…
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