Wheeler, Mets Top Tigers 4-3 For 6th Win In 7 Games

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Photo credit (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
By BEN WALKER AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Zack Wheeler pitched into the eighth inning, Todd Frazier delivered a clever push bunt and the New York Mets kept up their run of comebacks, beating the Detroit Tigers 4-3 Sunday for their sixth win in seven games.

Adeiny Hechavarria's three-run homer helped the Mets rally from an early 3-0 deficit and reach the .500 mark. New York has trailed in all but one of these recent victories, with each of them coming at Citi Field.

Nicholas Castellanos homered and drove in three runs for the Tigers, who have lost 11 of 12.

Edwin Diaz escaped his own jam in the ninth, striking out John Hicks with runners at first and third, then fanning JaCoby Jones with runners at second and third for his 13th save in 14 chances. Jones hopped up and shouted at plate umpire Jerry Meals after being called out on a 3-2 pitch that appeared a touch outside.

JaCoby Jones jumped out of his shoes as home-plate umpire Jerry Meals called him out on strikes to end the game. He might have had a case. Edwin Diaz's final pitch: 97 mph, just off the black.Mets 4, Tigers 3, final. pic.twitter.com/cwJx8PflOl

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) May 26, 2019

Wheeler (4-3) had retired 13 batters in a row before Jones led off the eighth with a single. Wheeler struck out pinch-hitter Miguel Cabrera and was pulled after walking Niko Goodrum.

Jeurys Familia relieved and Dawel Lugo thought he had struck out, mistaking the count after a swing-and-miss and walking back toward the Detroit dugout. Lugo returned to the plate and fanned for real, and Familia struck out Castellanos to end the inning.

Wheeler also singled twice, boosting his batting average to .308.

Rookie starter Spencer Turnbull (2-4) breezed through the first three innings for Detroit. Dominic Smith opened the fourth with a fly to center field and Jones took an odd route, with the ball falling just beyond his glove for a double.

Wilson Ramos singled to put runners at the corners, bringing up Frazier. The longtime pro took advantage of Detroit's shift, shortening up and pushing a sharp bunt that easily rolled into right field for an RBI single.

With two outs, Hechavarria hit an opposite-field drive to right for a 4-3 lead.

ON THE BOARD

Turnbull scored his first career run on Castellano's two-run single in the third. Turnbull reached when the Mets let his attempted sacrifice bunt fall on purpose, resulting in a forceout at second.

GOTTA HUSTLE

Jones hit a broken-bat popup in front of the mound in the fifth and didn't initially run out of the batter's box. Wheeler had trouble seeing the ball in the sun and dropped it, but had time to throw out Jones.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Tigers: Cabrera didn't start for a day of mostly rest.

Mets: OF Michael Conforto was activated from the seven-day concussion list. He went 0 for 3 and was nicked by a pitch. Conforto was hurt May 16 when collided with teammate Robinson Cano chasing a pop fly.

UP NEXT

Tigers: LHP Daniel Norris (2-2, 4.30 ERA) starts Monday afternoon at Baltimore vs. RHP Gabriel Ynoa (0-1, 5.60). Chris Davis and Trey Mancini are the only current Orioles to face Norris, going a combined 2 for 3 with two home runs against him.

Mets: Aces meet at Dodger Stadium on Monday when Mets RHP Jacob deGrom (3-5, 3.72) faces LHP Clayton Kershaw (4-0, 3.33). DeGrom shut down Washington in his latest start of an uneven season so far for the NL Cy Young Award winner.