NEW YORK (AP) ― Twenty months and a major shoulder surgery later, Johan Santana is a winner again.
The Mets’ ace finally got some run support from his teammates, toughing out seven innings Saturday to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 and snap New York’s four-game losing streak.
Mike Nickeas and Andres Torres each hit a two-run single to back the two-time Cy Young Award winner, whose last victory came against Atlanta on Sept. 2, 2010, before his injury wiped out last season.
“It’s always good to get that first one out of the way,” Santana said.
Santana (1-2) allowed nine hits but gave up only three runs, striking out five and walking one in his longest outing since the surgery.
“I wouldn’t say he had his most outstanding stuff, but he battles as good as anybody,” said Nickeas, his catcher. “Later in the game he actually got better.”
Daniel Murphy went 4 for 4 for the second four-hit game of his career and the Mets’ bullpen bounced back with two scoreless innings after blowing a late lead Friday night.
The Diamondbacks got a runner to second in both the eighth and ninth but couldn’t score the tying run. Frank Francisco struck out slugger Justin Upton with a runner on second to end it.
“We had a lot of pressure on them all day ― just couldn’t get the hit,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said.
The Mets had scored just four runs in Santana’s first five starts this year but matched that total in the fourth inning Saturday.
Down 1-0, New York loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a walk. Nickeas singled in two runs, chasing rookie Patrick Corbin (1-1), who won his debut Monday at Miami. The 22-year-old lefty allowed four runs on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 3 1-3 innings.
Santana bunted the runners over to second and third against Josh Collmenter, and Torres’ two-out single gave New York a 4-1 lead.
In his previous start Sunday, Santana left with a 4-0 cushion at Colorado before New York’s bullpen squandered it.
