Corbin's struggles continue against Mets

PHOENIX -- When Patrick Corbin toes the rubber, the D-backs expect dominance. He's been masterful in most starts. But on Saturday at Chase Field, the Mets hit him hard en route to a 5-1 victory.
"Just a couple mistakes there," Corbin said. "If I locate better, different outcome."
Michael Conforto did most of the damage against Corbin, launching a three-run homer into the right-field seats in the second inning and an RBI double in the sixth. The D-backs lefty allowed five earned runs over six innings and fell to 6-3 with a 3.48 ERA.
Prior to the home run, Corbin gave up a pair of base hits. He tried to throw a fastball inside to Conforto, but left it up and a tad over the plate. The homer flew off Conforto's bat at 112.4 mph, per Statcast™, making it the hardest-hit home run Corbin has allowed this season.
"That's the pitch I'd like to have back," Corbin said.

Corbin, who was 4-0 with a 2.12 ERA a little over a month ago, has allowed five or more earned runs in three of his last four starts. He surrendered five runs against the Pirates on Monday and six against the Reds on May 30.
New York had a beat on Corbin on Saturday. Not only did he allow eight hits, but there were also loud outs -- a few screaming line drives and a couple of close calls that went to the warning track. Nothing came easy. Corbin threw 96 pitches, 59 for strikes. He allowed the Mets' fourth run to score on a wild pitch.
Corbin said his secondary stuff felt good, but acknowledged that he didn't throw his curveball for a strike consistently enough as he fell behind hitters, then missed with his fastball.
"I just thought the pitch sequencing tonight was a little bit off, and I thought there were a lot of fastball mistakes out over the plate that were hit, and they were handled by the Mets," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "Didn't really get to the secondary stuff the way he typically does, and I think it's more a product of the game plan and sequencing."

Lovullo is confident Corbin will come out of this rough stretch.
"Worrisome? No, not an issue for me, whatsoever," Lovullo said. "We know that the season is going to have good and bad moments."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The D-backs trailed, 5-1, but had the bases loaded in the seventh. Nick Ahmed was at the plate to face Mets reliever Robert Gsellman. Ahmed grounded a ball that looked promising -- even after it hit the mound -- but second baseman Asdrúbal Cabrera picked it up and flipped it to shortstop Amed Rosario for an inning-ending forceout at second.
"You can feel the energy building," Lovullo said. "I thought Nick had a quality at-bat, he hit the ball very hard. They just positioned him well and made a good play. Those are the things that, when your team is rolling, seem to go your way. You find a break, score some runs, keep that line moving. But tonight, they had an answer for us."

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
In the sixth inning, Devin Mesoraco hit a bloop single that fell in between three D-backs in shallow right-center field. Center fielder Chris Owings barehanded the ball and fired a perfect strike to catcher John Ryan Murphy to nab Brandon Nimmo at home plate.
"He did save a run directly by making a great play, picking up the ball and releasing it as fast as an infielder does," Lovullo said of Owings, who also plays second base and shortstop. "Those good habits he gets into from the infield, I'm sure he carries out there, and used it to save a big run."

SOUND SMART
Even with Saturday's loss, the D-backs are 13-6 in their last 19 games against the Mets. They have outscored New York 97-69 over that span, winning nine of the past 12 meetings at Chase Field.
UP NEXT
The D-backs will send Clay Buchholz to the mound for a Father's Day series finale against the Mets. Buchholz has impressed since Arizona signed him, posting a 3.21 ERA through five starts. The Mets will counter with right-hander Zack Wheeler, who is 2-1 with a 2.13 ERA against the D-backs. First pitch on Sunday at Chase Field is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. MST.