PHOENIX _ Steven Matz has been good for the Mets this season, but for some reason, the first inning has haunted him at times.
Matz allowed two home runs and three runs overall in Sunday's opening frame, which set the tone for a 7-1 loss to the Diamondbacks. He surrendered five runs over six innings, but the offense was quiet and couldn't pick him up.
After Friday night's comeback win, New York dropped the final two games of this series. The Mets lost five of seven games on this road trip, continuing the woes away from Citi Field.
The first-inning numbers on Matz are jarring.
He entered the game with a 9.00 ERA in the first. It is now 10.80. In all other innings, he has a 2.51 ERA.
Of the 12 home runs he's allowed, seven have come in the opening frame. Three of those have been leadoff bombs.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway praised Matz after his last start, saying it was the best he had ever seen the lefty. Matz dazzled against the dangerous Dodgers in what was arguably his best outing of the season.
Matz, however, did not have it on Sunday at Chase Field. Coming in, he had allowed two or less runs in eight of 10 starts this year.
Ketel Marte opened the bottom of the first with a solo home run off Matz. This one was not cheap. According to Statcast, it left the bat at 111.9 mph and traveled 482 feet.
Tim Locastro, Saturday night's hero, singled moments later. The next batter, Eduardo Escobar, sent a two-run shot into the left-field seats.
The Mets were quickly down three runs. Their offense never got going.
Matz allowed two RBI singles in the fifth _ one to Christian Walker and the other to Ildemaro Vargas. The D-backs led by four runs at that point because all the offense the Mets could muster was a Wilson Ramos solo shot in the second.
Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly never allowed another run, tallying a career-high 10 strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings against the Mets. New York managed six hits against Kelly.
The Mets' offense has been so good in the late innings, but it did not threaten on Sunday. New York went quietly.
The game seemed over by the time Kelly exited, but in case it weren't, the Diamondbacks added two more in the eighth when Marte singled off Tyler Bashlor.
The Mets, who are suddenly three games under .500, head back to New York for a six-game homestand _ three against the Giants, three against the Rockies. The good news for the Mets is that the Giants entered Sunday 10 games under .500.
New York will need to regroup after another road trip that did not go well.
