Mets blow late lead to D-backs, lose 4th straight

NEW YORK – Mets reliever Jon Rauch knows he has one job to do. He also knows he didn't do it Friday night.

Rauch gave up a two-run double to Paul Goldschmidt and a go-ahead single to Cody Ransom in the eighth inning, and New York lost 5-4 to the Arizona Diamondbacks for its fourth straight loss.

"It stinks tonight to let those guys down," Rauch said. "We expect to go out and do our job every time. I personally can't come in and let guys score."

The Mets led 4-2 heading into the eighth inning, but Justin Upton reached against Bobby Parnell when his grounder got past first baseman Ike Davis for an error.

Tim Byrdak relieved Bobby Parnell and walked Jason Kubel. A strikeout later, Mets manager Terry Collins brought in Rauch (3-1) and Goldschmidt laced his double to right-center. Ransom followed with an RBI single.

"Base on balls have really come back to bite us," Collins said. "We're falling behind (hitters). You can't do that here."

Arizona won a one-run game after losing two in a row at Washington, each by a run. Arizona had lost its last nine one-run games.

"I don't think of it that way," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "I just want to come out and win games."

Ransom hit a long homer off starter Dillon Gee in the second inning to give NL rookie of the month for April Wade Miley a 2-0 lead. But the Mets scored four times in the third — more earned runs then Miley had given up in five appearances total this season (three) coming in.

Miley gave up four runs in six innings. Brad Ziegler (1-1) allowed a hit in the seventh and David Hernandez got Josh Thole to line out to left with runners on first and third to end the eighth. J.J. Putz worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save, a day after blowing a save opportunity against Washington.

"I was happy to see him back out there," Gibson said. "I know he doesn't like what happened the other night in Washington."

Each Mets batter walked up to home plate to the beats of a Beastie Boys song in honor of the New York rap group's Adam Yauch, who died of cancer Friday at 47.

Hairston — along with teammate Justin Turner — was responsible for spurring the tribute. Hairston, who walked up to "Root Down," got the Mets on the board in the third.

After the Mets loaded the bases on two hits and a walk to start the third, Lucas Duda struck out, dropping New York to 0 for 9 with the bases full and less than two outs this season. Hairston ended that stretch with a two-run double to left. Davis had a run-scoring groundout and Andres Torres an RBI single to make it 4-2.

Davis rolled his ankle in his previous at-bat, limping off the field. He missed most of last season after sustaining a bone bruise in the same ankle.

"Ankle's fine. Just tweaked it a little bit on the swing," Davis said. "It's not like it was last year. I was a little nervous, that's why I didn't run."

The Mets started off the fifth with singles that hit off Arizona infielders but Miley got a strikeout and a double play to end the threat.

"They were aggressive," Miley said. "After the third inning, we were down two. I knew if I could keep it right there we'd have a chance to come back and win it late."

Gee walked two to start the sixth but induced a groundout and struck out two to quash that threat. Gee gave up four hits — only a single after the second. He walked three and struck out six.

"Lately I've been making good pitches late in the game," Gee said. "I think I've grown as a pitcher."

Miley is in Arizona's rotation because Daniel Hudson is on the disabled list with a right shoulder impingement. Coming into Friday's start, Miley had given up only an unearned run in 12 1-3 innings as a starter over two outings.

This time, he yielded four runs and seven hits in six innings.

NEW YORK: Mets pitchers have allowed 28 homers in 26 games. ... The Mets honored 3B David Wright for becoming the team's career RBI leader, passing Darryl Strawberry on April 25. Strawberry presented Wright with a crystal award before the game. Strawberry said he hopes Wright remains with the Mets for his entire career. Strawberry also said it was a mistake he left the Mets for the Dodgers. ... The Mets optioned right-hander Chris Schwinden to Triple-A Buffalo after he made two subpar starts in place of the injured Mike Pelfrey, and New York selected the contract of outfielder Vinny Rottino from Triple-A Buffalo. Schwinden was 0-1 with an 11.25 ERA in two starts. ... Diamondbacks OF Chris Young (bruised shoulder) felt "a little sore swinging the bat," Gibson said.