Hermann hits walkoff HR in 11th
Diamondbacks sweep Mets with win in extras, now 6-2 in last 8 games
PHOENIX — Chris Herrmann and the Diamondbacks made it another long day for the sinking New York Mets.
Herrmann homered off Rafael Montero leading off the 11th inning, giving the Diamondbacks a 5-4 victory on Wednesday and sending the Mets to their seasonhigh seventh straight loss.
New York went 0-6 in Milwaukee and Arizona, the Mets’ longest winless trip since 1999, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. At 16-23, New York dropped seven games under .500 for the first time September 2014. And Matt Harvey’s winless streak stretched to six starts since April 11.
“It’s very easy to unravel right now,” New York manager Terry Collins said. “I will not let that happen here. We are not going to do that. We are going to stay together, play together. I will not let this team get down.”
Montero (0-3) relieved to start the 11th, and Herrmann worked the count full, fouled off a pitch and connected on a belt-high fastball for his first gameending home run in the major leagues.
“It’s awesome, man,” Herrmann said. “I haven’t hit very many homers in my career. I hit a grand slam, but I don’t think there’s anything that compares to hitting a walk-off home run. It’s something you dream about when you’re a little kid, when I’m 6 years old playing out in the cul de sac hitting tennis balls.”
As a catcher, Herrmann is no fan of extra innings.
“You get tired behind the plate, and my knees were starting to hurt a little bit,” he said.
Herrmman’s teammates doused him with a Gatoraid container of ice and water at the plate.
“To be honest, I didn’t even feel it,” Herrmann said.
Arizona finished its homestand 6-3 and is a major league-best 18-8 at home.
Tom Wilhelmsen (1-1) walked Matt Reynolds and Lucas Duda with two outs in the 11th before throwing a called third strike past Jose Reyes. Wilhelmsen gave up the tiebreaking home run in a 10-inning loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Making his second start since a three-day suspension for failing to show up for a game, Harvey allowed three runs, six hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings. He left with a 4-3 lead.
“Obviously, if I could go back and change a couple pitches I would,” he said.