PHOENIX _ Michael Conforto returned to the top of the New York Mets' lineup in recent days out of team need, not individual merit. Mired in a slump that left him with one hit _ a grounder to shortstop _ in more than a week, Conforto became Mickey Callaway's new leadoff guy despite appearing to be searching at the plate and as reports about a possible demotion to Triple-A Las Vegas surfaced.
"I have to use more information than just what I see in the game," the manager said Thursday afternoon, citing votes of confidence from hitting coach Pat Roessler and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater. "He's probably in a lot better spot than most people realize from just watching the game."
Amid the Mets' continued poor play in their 6-3 loss Thursday night to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Conforto showed signs of turning it around.
Conforto blasted a 445-foot home run _ the second longest of his career _ in the sixth. He also nearly gave the Mets a rare late lead, when his 390-foot drive to center fell short of the wall in the eighth.
Brandon Nimmo and Amed Rosario joined Conforto in homering, but it wasn't enough. The Diamondbacks hit four home runs. The Mets have hit 21 long balls in their past 19 games, but 17 of them have been solo shots.
An updated tally of the Mets' slide: 11 losses in 12 games, 18 losses in 22 games.
This was the first time since June 1 _ 10 games ago _ that the Mets scored in more than one inning in a game. That was also the last time the Mets scored more than three runs.
The Mets' only non-homer hit was a single by Dominic Smith. Righthander Matt Koch, a former Mets minor leaguer, held his former organization to two runs in six innings.
Lefthander Jason Vargas was OK. He allowed three runs in five innings, avoiding further damage despite plenty of hard contact to lower his ERA to 7.31. The Diamondbacks had five hits and two walks against him, striking out five times.
Arizona scored single runs in three consecutive innings. Ketel Marte's second-inning rocket single to leftfield scored John Ryan Murphy easily when Jose Bautista bobbled the ball. That was the last of three straight batters to reach to open the inning, though Vargas retired the next three.
Paul Goldschmidt homered in the third, pulling a 3-and-1 fastball on the inner edge of the plate to leftfield. In the fourth, David Peralta followed suit with a solo shot to center.
Vargas pitched for the first time since June 5, but on short notice. After skipping Vargas' previous turn in the rotation, the Mets had him lined up for Saturday until Steven Matz developed a blister and couldn't take the ball Thursday, pushing Vargas up by two days _ a call they made Wednesday night. Vargas threw a heavy "up-and-down" bullpen session _ used to simulate innings _ Tuesday and finished this outing at 73 pitches.
Although his numbers on the year are still unsightly, Vargas has been competitive for going on a month, lasting exactly five innings and allowing three or fewer runs in four of his past five starts. He has a 3.91 ERA in that span.
Hansel Robles allowed one run in 1 2/3 innings, his first appearance since June 2. He pitched a perfect sixth, then walked Marte to begin the seventh. Marte scored when Paul Sewald walked Nick Ahmed with the bases loaded.
In between, lefthanded specialist Jerry Blevins retired neither of the two lefthanded hitters he faced. Daniel Descalso singled, and Jon Jay was hit by a pitch. Of the 41 lefties Blevins has seen this year, 16 have reached base.
