Wheeler pitches Mets past visiting Diamondbacks

Zack Wheeler tossed seven strong innings and Todd Frazier accounted for all the New York Mets' runs Tuesday night with a pair of RBI doubles as the Mets beat the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-2.

The Mets (74-70) have won the first two games of the four-game series to tread water in the National League wild-card race while damaging the postseason hopes of the Diamondbacks (75-70). New York entered Tuesday four games behind the second wild card, the Chicago Cubs. Arizona, which has lost three straight, began the night 2 1/2 games behind the Cubs, who were scheduled to visit the San Diego Padres later Tuesday night.

Wheeler (11-7) navigated plenty of traffic in allowing one run and scattering seven hits and two walks while striking out seven. The 29-year-old right-hander gave up an RBI single to Eduardo Escobar in the first and had just one 1-2-3 inning but induced a pair of double-play grounders and limited the Diamondbacks to two hits in 12 at-bats with runners on base.

Brad Brach recorded two outs in the eighth and gave up a homer to Escobar before Justin Wilson got the final four outs for his second save. Wilson struck out ex-Mets infielder Wilmer Flores, who had 10 walk-off hits for New York, with two on for the final out.

The Mets took the lead in the second, when Robinson Cano led off with a single and Amed Rosario drew a walk. One out later, Frazier -- whose playing time has been reduced due to the return of Jeff McNeil from the injured list and the emergence of J.D. Davis -- laced a two-run double.

Cano started another rally in the fourth with a leadoff double. He scored one out later on Frazier's second double.

Diamondbacks rookie Zac Gallen (3-5) took the loss after allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out nine over six innings. He has surrendered three earned runs or fewer in each of his first 14 big league starts.

--Field Level Media