Diamondbacks steal a run, clinch series win vs. Mets

Even as things are going wrong for the Diamondbacks, they’re still going right. For the second night in a row, they were without two-thirds of their starting outfield but still managed to produce enough offense. Their ace wasn’t really on his game but still pitched well enough to win.

And, best of all, the Diamondbacks managed to pull off an accidental steal of home, executing a double steal when they hadn’t even called for one to produce an unexpected run that turned out to be crucial in their 5-4 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

“I want to sound like we’re geniuses,” manager Torey Lovullo said, “but that was definitely not the play we wanted to run.”

Zack Greinke was more human this time, his command less pristine than in recent starts, but he managed to work into the seventh inning. Yasmany Tomas continued to swing the bat well, lining an opposite-field, solo homer in the sixth to generate what turned out to be an important insurance run. Gregor Blanco produced his first big hit in a Diamondbacks uniform, a two-run single to give his team its first lead of the night.

NOTES: Zack Greinke secures third straight win

But the night’s most interesting sequence came with Chris Owings at first and Paul Goldschmidt at third with two out in the third inning.

Owings broke from first on a 1-1 pitch to Tomas but stopped in his tracks about three-quarters of the way to second. Mets second baseman Neil Walker took the throw down and ran toward Owings.

With Owings in a rundown, Goldschmidt waited for Walker to throw to Mets first baseman Lucas Duda, at which point he broke home. Duda fired home but his throw was off target, and Goldschmidt slid in safely.

Goldschmidt said he was thinking he’d rather make an out trying to score than allow Owings to be tagged out harmlessly between first and second.

“If I get out, then I get out,” he said. “I was just trying to look for an opportune time to break home. I almost went early. Their second baseman, Walker, stopped me, but once he gave it up I had to take a chance there when Duda got the ball.”

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Said Owings: “Like Goldy said, we just kind of picked the coaches up right there. We were, I guess, trying to put something on and maybe didn’t get sent over to the other side, but we made the most of it and Goldy made a really good read.”

Duda’s poor throw home wasn’t his first. In Game 5 of the 2015 World Series, the Royals’ Eric Hosmer stole the game-tying run in the ninth when Duda made a wild throw home.

But the Diamondbacks weren’t trying to test Duda’s arm. What were they trying to do? Nothing, according to Lovullo.

“It was blind luck,” he said.

Lovullo said the Diamondbacks coaches got their signs crossed somehow.

“I’m going to wear that one,” he said. “That was absolutely my fault. … We have that play. We do. But that wasn’t the right time for it. …

“So if the play was on and we were supposed to run it the right way, that is not how we run it. We got lucky.”

The win gave the Diamondbacks their first series victory since taking three of four from the San Diego Padres April 24-27. They’ll have a chance at the sweep on Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s really pretty big,” Greinke said. “We just keep winning one, losing one. Winning two, losing two. Winning one, losing two. It just hasn’t been that great for a while. Hopefully, we keep it going a little bit. But it is definitely nice to get two in a row.”

Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.

Wednesday’s game

Mets at Diamondbacks

When: 12:40 p.m.

Where: Chase Field (Roof hotline: 602-462-6262).

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (3-4, 4.17) vs. Mets RHP Matt Harvey (2-3, 5.63).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Corbin gave up four runs in six innings against the Pirates on Friday, picking up the win in a game the Diamondbacks won 11-4. … It was the sixth time in eight starts Corbin has logged at least six innings. … He has struggled against the Mets in his career, allowing 15 earned runs in 22 1/3 innings in five outings (four starts). … In his first start following a three-day suspension for reportedly not showing up to the ballpark earlier this month, Harvey gave up five runs in five innings against the Brewers. … Harvey’s past three starts have been rough; he’s given up 17 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings, with 13 walks and nine strikeouts. … He’s thrown twice at Chase Field; it was the site of his major league debut in 2012 (5 1/3 innings, no runs), and he gave up just two runs in seven innings in a game in 2015.

Coming up

Thursday: Off.

Friday: At San Diego, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (3-3, 3.91) vs. Padres RHP Jered Weaver (0-4, 6.05).

Saturday: At San Diego, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (2-3, 4.57) vs. Padres RHP Luis Perdomo (0-0, 4.19).

Sunday: At San Diego, 1:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (1-0, 1.93) vs. Padres LHP Clayton Richard (2-4, 4.34)*.

*– Stats entering Tuesday.