NEW YORK, April 25 (UPI) -- Raul Gonzalez delivered an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday night as the New York Mets came back from a three-run deficit for their season-high third straight win, 4-3 over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
New York had not strung together three wins since mid-September. But it got three hitless innings from relievers Mike Stanton (1-2) and Armando Benitez to improve to 5-2 on a nine-game homestand.
After tying it in the sixth on pinch-hitter Tony Clark's RBI single, the Mets got two key two-out hits in the seventh. Steve Randolph struck out Jay Bell and fellow rookie Oscar Villareal retired Cliff Floyd, but Mike Piazza one-hopped a double off the center field fence for his third hit of the game.
Mo Vaughn was intentionally walked, but Gonzalez crossed up the strategy by lining a 2-0 pitch to the gap in left-center field. Since his contract was purchased from Class AAA Norfolk on Tuesday, Gonzalez is five for 10 with three RBI.
Stanton struck out one and walked one in two innings for his first National League win since 1995. In the ninth, Benitez issued a leadoff walk to David Dellucci, who stole second and took third on Steve Finley's groundout.
But the Mets' much-maligned closer retired Craig Counsell on a popout to third base and got Junior Spivey on a grounder to shortstop for his eighth save in 12 chances.
Counsell and former Met Carlos Baerga each had two hits and an RBI for Arizona, which is 3-4 on a nine-game road trip.
