Hernandez lifts D-backs in 12th with first career homer
NEW YORK -- It took more than 1 1/2 seasons for the Arizona Diamondbacks to get much of a reward for selecting Oscar Hernandez in the Rule 5 draft.
Worth it.
Hernandez hit his first major league homer in the 12th inning, leading the Diamondbacks over the New York Mets 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Hernandez was recalled from Double-A Mobile after Arizona placed catcher Welington Castillo on the paternity list Tuesday. Playing his first game this season, Hernandez drove a sinker from Jerry Blevins (4-2) down the left-field line.
Hernandez played 18 games with Arizona in 2015 as a winter meeting draft pick from Tampa Bay, missing much of the season with a broken left hamate bone.
"It feels so good," a jubilant Hernandez said. "I was waiting for a pitch to do hard contact and I hit a bomb."
After spending last season on the active roster and major league disabled list, the 23-year old catcher was optioned all the way back to Class A Visalia this year to begin his climb back to the majors.
"Going back to the minor leagues helped me out a lot," he said. "I feel more confident. Last year was a little bit of pressure and this year, I just played."
"That's what a Rule 5 guy has to do," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. "You just hope in that year that he's here, you don't lose your way. Some guys have in the past, and it was good to get him playing again."
Randall Delgado (3-1) pitched two perfect innings with two strikeouts to win.
The Mets' Kelly Johnson forced extra innings with a two-run homer in the ninth off closer Jake Barrett. The blown save was Barrett's fourth in eight chances.
Arizona starter Robbie Ray pitched seven shutout innings, scattering three hits and striking out four. Ray was perfect until Ty Kelly's fourth-inning single.
New York remained 2 1/2 games back of the Marlins for the second NL wild card.
Paul Goldschmidt went 2 for 4, driving in the first two Arizona runs, and Jean Segura and Chris Owings each had three hits. Segura added two stolen bases and scored two runs. Arizona stole four bases on the night and has nine steals through the first two games in the series, breaking the franchise mark for steals in a three-game series with Thursday's game still to come. New York came into the game with a minus-67 stolen base differential, the worst mark in the majors.
Neil Walker had two hits for the Mets, who have lost 14 of their past 19 games.
"If you can't get over it, and you're going to let it linger in this league, you're going to have a tough time winning," Mets manager Terry Collins said.
Arizona's Patrick Corbin joined New York's Wilmer Flores and Rene Rivera at a "Play Ball Derby" at Hudson River Park's Pier 63. The players participated in a wiffle ball derby, launching balls into the river at floating targets. Children from local Boys and Girls clubs and other baseball organizations participated alongside the players. Corbin, the non-hitter of the group, "won" the derby.
Diamondbacks: OF A.J. Pollock (fractured right elbow) went 3 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs for Class A Visalia on Tuesday. He was again in the lineup on Wednesday. ... OF Yasmany Tomas (stiff neck) remained out of the lineup after being a late scratch on Tuesday. He developed the injury after watching the Olympics in bed all day Tuesday.
Mets: INF Jose Reyes (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with Class A Brooklyn on Thursday. His assignment had been delayed because the switch-hitter was still having trouble swinging from the right side, general manager Sandy Alderson said on Tuesday.
Diamondbacks: RHP Braden Shipley (1-1, 4.15 ERA) takes to the mound in the series finale for his fourth major league start. After struggling in his debut, he's thrown back-to-back quality starts, allowing two runs over his last 12 innings.
Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (9-6, 2.64 ERA) looks to snap a career-worst five-start winless streak. The All-Star hurler struggled in his last start, allowing four runs in six innings in Detroit, but has pitched to a 5-3 record with a 2.41 ERA at Citi Field this season.
