NEW YORK -- Before the New York Mets can even think about a big run to boost themselves in the NL wild-card race, they need to set a more modest goal. Like, say, a two-game winning streak.Neil Walker hit his 20th homer and Steven Matz pitched well, but the Mets let a late lead get away Tuesday night and lost 5-3 to the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks.The Mets missed a chance to post back-to-back wins for the first time since July 6-7. The defeat came as they began a stretch of nine straight games against Arizona and San Diego, teams with among the worst records in the league.Its kind of like its been one step forward and two steps back for us, Walker said. But were playing hard. This is a hard time of the year, this is a grind-it-out type of year.The teams that are kind of out of it can be dangerous teams, too. Just like these guys, theyre all kind of fighting for jobs next year, he said.Zack Greinke won in his return from a six-week stay on the disabled list and Michael Bourn hit a go-ahead triple in the seventh inning.Paul Goldschmidt and late substitute Brandon Drury each homered for Arizona. The Diamondbacks also stole five bases, with a double steal setting up Bourns two-run liner that erased a 3-2 deficit.When they get out on that mound ... I know the one thing thats on their minds is to get the hitter out, Mets manager Terry Collins said of his pitching staff. They dont want to somewhat get away from their deliveries for fear of making a mistake. So that is one of the No. 1 things weve got to certainly clean up.Greinke (11-3) earned his eighth straight victory. The Arizona ace had been out since June 28, when he strained his left side while batting.Greinke gave up three runs on five hits and a walk in six innings. It was the first time he faced the Mets since losing the decisive Game 5 of the NL Division Series last October with the Los Angeles Dodgers.Jake Barrett closed for his fourth save.Matz was in position for just his second win in 13 starts before Mets reliever Hansel Robles (5-4) got tagged. Matz matched his big league best by striking out nine in six innings, throwing a career-high 120 pitches.Chris Owings doubled off Robles to begin the seventh and pinch-hitter Phil Gosselin drew a one-out walk. They pulled off a double steal before Jean Segura struck out, and Bourn tripled to the right-center gap for a 4-3 lead. Goldschmidt followed with an RBI single.Goldschmidt hit his 18th homer, a solo shot in the sixth for a 2-1 lead.Walker hit a two-run homer off Greinke in the sixth, sending a drive into the Arizona bullpen in right-center field.Walker is 26 for 53 (.491) with four homers and 11 RBI in his last 13 games. His career high for homers is 23 in 2014 with Pittsburgh.ON THE MOVEThe Mets are sending OF Brandon Nimmo back to Triple-A Las Vegas. He made his major league debut in June and has been back and forth to the minors a couple of times. The Mets need a bat and a possible call-up could be T.J. Rivera, who began the day batting .347 with 11 homers and 80 RBI in 90 games at Las Vegas. The 27-year-old, who plays infield and some outfield and has never been in the majors, is a career .323 hitter during six seasons in the minors.TRAINERS ROOMMets: Switch-hitting INF Jose Reyes (oblique) is still having trouble swinging from the right side. His rehab assignment has been backed up a day or two. ... SS Asdrubal Cabrera (knee) is progressing a bit more slowly than the team expected, general manager Sandy Alderson said. Cabrera has started to hit off a tee. ... OF Yoenis Cespedes (quad) will hopefully be ready to come off the DL as soon as hes eligible, Alderson said.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (5-11, 4.83 ERA) is averaging 11.31 strikeouts per nine innings. He has fanned at least nine in three straight starts.Mets: RHP Bartolo Colon (10-6, 3.46) has never beaten the Diamondbacks, the only major league club he hasnt defeated. He is 0-1 in two career starts against them. Cheap Texans Jerseys Authentic . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Texans Jerseys Online . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. http://www.cheaptexansjerseysauthentic.com/ . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Cheap Texans Jerseys . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. WASHINGTON -- Collin Smith sank a 3-pointer with three seconds to play and a Jaren Sina steal with a second left sealed a 68-67 win for George Washington over South Florida on Saturday.The Colonials were trailing 67-63 with 46 seconds left to play when Smith was fouled then hit two from the line to pull George Washington to within two, 67-65. Then he sank the winning 3-pointer after getting the assists from Matt Hart to put the Colonials on top 68-67 with three seconds remaining. On the fast break, Siina stole the ball from South Floridas Jahmal McMurray in the final second to preserve the win.ddddddddddddSmith, a freshman, finished with a career-high 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Tyler Cavanaugh added 16 points and five rebounds.South Florida led 35-32 at the break and was up 61-55 with 6:28 left in the second period.McMurray led the Bulls (4-3) with 16 points. ' ' '