Flexen’s 1st win helps Mets stop 4-game slide

New York — Rookie Chris Flexen got his first big league win and hit, and the New York Mets took an early fourrun lead against emergency starter A.J. Griffin in a 5-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night that stopped a four-game losing streak.

Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes and Travis d'Arnaud homered for the Mets, who led 4-0 after two innings. Cespedes went deep at Citi Field for just the third time this season, his first since June 17. D'Arnaud hit his first at home this year after nine on the road.

Joey Gallo, Adrian Beltre and Robinson Chirinos homered for Texas.

Flexen (1-1) allowed three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings in his third big league start. The 23-year-old righthander lost at San Diego in his big league debut on July 27 and did not get a decision at Colorado last week.

He hit a double that bounced to the left-field wall in the fifth for his first hit after an 0-for-3 start at the plate. He had a .267 average with one extra-base hit in six minor league seasons.

A.J. Ramos gave up Chirinos' twoout homer in the ninth, then retired Drew Robinson on a groundout for his 21st save this year, his first since the Mets acquired him from the Miami Marlins.

Conforto sent his second pitch, a 66 mph curveball, off the facing of the upper deck in right field. Conforto has a career-best 23 homers, including six leading off.

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Matt Harvey threw batting practice for the first time since going on the disabled list for a stress injury to his right shoulder on June 15. Harvey threw 25 pitches to Brandon Nimmo.

“I was a little rusty at first but towards the end I was able to get the ball down and finish the pitches the way I wanted to,” Harvey said. “I was excited because it's finally fun to throw a baseball again.”