NEW YORK -- The New York Mets still have plenty of talented young arms even with Steven Matz on the shelf.
On the day the Mets placed Matz on the disabled list with a lat strain, Noah Syndergaard limited an opponent to one run for the third straight start and Lucas Duda and Michael Cuddyer produced consecutive homers in a four-run first inning as the Mets beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 on Friday at Citi Field.
Syndergaard (4-4) allowed four hits and two walks and struck out a career-high 13 batters in eight innings. He threw 116 pitches -- the most by a Mets pitcher this season.
Since lasting only four innings at Atlanta on June 20, Syndergaard has a 1.23 ERA in three starts (three ER in 22 innings). He has allowed only 11 hits and four walks and has struck out 24 during that span.
Since getting swept by the Chicago Cubs, the Mets (45-42) have won five of seven games, all against NL West opponents. The Amazin’s moved three games over .500 for the first time in nearly two weeks.
About time: A pair of lengthy homer droughts ended with consecutive first-inning swings. Duda and Cuddyer produced back-to-back first-inning long balls against Chase Anderson as the Mets built a 4-1 lead.
Duda’s three-run shot snapped an 0-for-13 drought. It marked his first long ball since June 18 at Toronto against R.A. Dickey.
Cuddyer was in the starting lineup for only the third time in the past nine games because of a troublesome left knee. He had not homered since June 5 at Arizona against Jeremy Hellickson.
The Mets last produced back-to-back homers on May 14 at Wrigley Field, when Wilmer Flores and Anthony Recker consecutively went deep against the Cubs’ Travis Wood.
Before Eric Campbell’s homer in the series finale in San Francisco on Wednesday, the Mets had gone nine games without a long ball.
Duda, by the way, proceeded to strike out twice and ground into a double play his next three at-bats.
All-Star in Mets’ hearts: After officially finishing last in the All-Star “Final Vote” competition in the National League on Friday, Jeurys Familia took over with a three-run lead for the ninth inning and proceeded to record his 25th save in 27 attempts. Yasmany Tomas had a leadoff triple and scored.
Dead arm: Juan Lagares set a franchise rookie record for outfield assists in 2013 and earned a Gold Glove last year, but his arm is a shell of its former self. With Lagares playing through an elbow strain that has greatly curtailed his throwing ability, A.J. Pollock successfully tagged in the first inning on a shallow fly ball to center field by Paul Goldschmidt to open the game’s scoring.
What’s next: Matt Harvey (7-6, 3.11 ERA) opposes left-hander Patrick Corbin (1-0, 3.60) on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET. Corbin, an All-Star in 2013, is making his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery.