NEW YORK—J.D. Martinez hit a two-run double, Edwin Díaz converted his first save chance since coming off the injured list and the New York Mets held off the San Diego Padres 2–1 on Friday night.
Making his second appearance in two nights since returning from a right shoulder impingement, Díaz pitched out of trouble in the ninth inning. He gave up a leadoff single and a stolen base, then struck out slugger Manny Machado looking at a 100 mph fastball.
Second baseman Jeff McNeil made a nice sliding play on the outfield grass to turn Donovan Solano’s grounder into the second out. With a runner at third, Díaz fell behind 3-1 on Jake Cronenworth but struck him out swinging at a 91 mph slider.
The star closer screamed and pounded his chest in excitement after securing his sixth save this season. Before going on the injured list May 29, he blew three straight save opportunities and four out of five—leaving him with an unsightly 5.40 ERA.
Díaz was reinstated Thursday and worked a perfect ninth to get the win in a 3–2 victory over Miami.
Sean Manaea (4–3) rebounded from consecutive rough outings and four Mets relievers combined for four shutout innings. New York managed only four hits but still won for the seventh time in nine games.
Jackson Merrill homered for San Diego, which had won three in a row and five of six.
The opener of a three-game series between teams trying to overcome slow starts was delayed by rain for 65 minutes at the start.
Padres rookie knuckleballer Matt Waldron (4–6) issued a one-out walk to a slumping McNeil in the third, and Brandon Nimmo singled with two outs. Martinez then lined a two-run double into the right-field corner to put New York ahead 2–0.
Martinez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday night to give the Mets a 3–2 victory over Miami. It was the 321st home run of his 14-year career but his first walk-off shot.
Manaea kept San Diego off the scoreboard until Merrill homered off the top of the right-center fence with two outs in the fifth for his third in two games.
The 21-year-old rookie had his first multi-homer game Wednesday, including a walk-off drive to complete a three-game sweep of Oakland.
Manaea permitted four hits and struck out seven in five-plus innings.
