Arizona Still Searching For Answers, Mets Blowout D-backs 9-0

WP: Jenrry Mejia (2-0) LP: Bronson Arroyo (1-1)

The Arizona Diamondbacks keep hoping for someone to lead them back onto the winning path, and out of the current early season funk they find themselves in. Tuesday night was not the night that would happen as they lost to the New York Mets again, 9-0.

The D-backs took yet another beating on their home field. The common baseball fan knows the Mets aren't an overpowering force in the league, going to show just how poorly the Diamondbacks have played 17 games into the season. The awful performance from the D-backs' rotation so far actually took another step back, after Bronson Arroyo imploded to surrender nine earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings. Arroyo gave up ten of the twelve hits the Mets had in the game, looking like at some points in the game he was throwing batting practice.

The Mets first three batters of the game (Eric Young Jr., Daniel Murphy, David Wright) all singled to start off the game. Lucas Duda hit a RBI groundout, followed by a Andrew Brown RBI sacrifice fly and a Kirk Nieuwenheis RBI single had the Mets up 3-0 before they even played defense. Arroyo simmered down in the second and third inning, retiring the Mets in order. But the volcano would erupted violently in the fourth inning.

Andrew Brown led off the inning with a single, that was followed by a two run jack from Nieuwenheis. Arroyo then walked Travis d'Arnaud and gave up a double to Omar Quintanilla. Arroyo would retire the pitcher Jenrry Mejia, then go on to give up a two run single to Eric Young and then a Daniel Murphy RBI single that put the Mets up 6-0. David Wright would cease to get Bronson taken out of the game by hitting a single, which led to Randall Delgado coming in relief. Delgado would hit Lucas Duda with a pitch, and then get Andrew Brown to groundout but ultimately scoring the ninth run for New York.

Jenrry Mejia had a great outing for the Mets, shutting down Arizona over five innings while only giving up two hits, two walks, and striking out three. The Mets bullpen did their part by holding the score at 9-0 for the remainder of the game, although the D-backs hitters had many hard hit balls that were unfortunately caught. The D-backs were shutout for the third time already on the season, in comparison to last year when it took 79 games for the D-backs to finally be shutout.

The lone positive outcome from the game for the Diamondbacks was the bullpen performance. Although they were forced to use more relievers than they would have liked, four D-backs relievers managed to pitch 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Showing that when rested, the bullpen can get the job done.

The D-backs will once again try to salvage a win in the series on Wednesday afternoon in a matinee showdown. Brandon McCarthy takes the mound for the D-backs to try to break the early season spell that has been cast upon them. The Mets will send Dillon Gee to the mound to try and secure the three game sweep.

Notes: The D-backs are now 4-13 overall and 1-8 at Chase Field (1-10 including the games in Australia) this season. D-backs pitching has allowed five runs or more in six straight games. Arizona has only received two quality starts from their starting pitchers in 17 games.