Brown's Pinch-Hit HR Helps Mets Beat D-Backs 9-5

Andrew Brown's three-run pinch-hit home run broke open a close game and the New York Mets beat Arizona 9-5 on Sunday.

Jonathan Niese (4-6), in his first start since June 20, came off the disabled list to go six innings, giving up four runs and seven hits in his first win since May 16. The Mets took two of three from the Diamondbacks.

The Mets scored four unearned runs in the first, three on first baseman Paul Goldschmidt's fielding error with two outs and the bases loaded.

Aaron Hill's three-run home run cut the lead to 5-4 in the third, but Brown's three-run shot made it a four-run game in the seventh.

Arizona's Cody Ross was carted off the field in the first inning with a dislocated right hip.

Ross stumbled as he approached first base while trying to beat out a grounder, then fell to the ground. He was grimacing and grabbing his right leg as he was loaded onto the cart. After X-rays, the team announced he had dislocated his hip.

The Mets' Wilmer Flores hit his first career home run, a solo shot off Heath Bell in the ninth.

Niese, out for seven weeks with a partially torn rotator cuff, struck out five and walked one.

The Diamondbacks' Zeke Spruill (0-2), in his second major league start, gave up a one-out single to Juan Lagares in the first, then walked Daniel Murphy and Ike Davis to load the bases. Mike Baxter's grounder to first deflected off Goldschmidt's glove and all three runners scored. Anthony Recker's double brought in the fourth run.

It was the fifth error of the season for Goldschmidt.

After Hill's RBI double in the first cut it to 4-1, the Mets had runners at first and second with one out in the third when Omar Quintanilla singled to center. One run scored, but Cliff Pennington's relay throw from center fielder A.J. Pollock cut down Baxter trying to score from first.

Pollock led off the Arizona fourth with a single, then Goldschmidt drew a one-out walk to bring up Hill, whose shot to left cut New York's lead to 5-4.

In the seventh, Davis drew a one-out walk — the ninth consecutive time he'd reached base — and Flores singled. Will Harris relieved Joe Thatcher and Brown's second pinch-hit homer of the season made it 8-4.

Spruill allowed five runs, just one earned, and six hits in three innings. He walked two.