The Mets and Diamondbacks traded runs in the fifth inning. Then they traded runs in the 13th inning.
And 14th inning.
And almost the 15th inning.
“It felt like a marathon tennis match, to be honest with you,” Kirk Nieuwenhuis said.
It was a wild roller-coaster of a July Fourth at Citi Field Thursday, but the Mets closed out their final homestand of the first half with a dizzying 5-4, 15-inning loss to the Diamondbacks. The endless matinee featured stunning, game-tying homers from Anthony Recker in the 13th inning and Nieuwenhuis in the 14th, but as they say, all that did was prolong the agony.
In the 15th, Arizona took the lead for good on Cliff Pennington’s RBI single off loser Scott Rice, the Mets’ eighth pitcher. After coming back in the 13th and 14th, the Mets nearly pulled off a third rally in the 15th. But with men on first and second and one out, Jordany Valdespin grounded out to first. And with men on second and third and two outs, Nieuwenhuis grounded out to first to end it.
The Mets have now played three games of at least 15 innings this season — and they’re 0-3 in them, having suffered a 15-inning loss to the Marlins on April 29 and a 20-inning defeat to the Marlins on June 8. The franchise record for most 15-inning games in a year is four in 1968.
Yesterday the bullpen allowed go-ahead runs in the 13th, 14th and 15th innings. But ultimately the Mets offense was inadequate, going a miserable 3-for-25 with men on base.
“There were lots of chances for lots of guys to end this game,” manager Terry Collins said.
The afternoon lasted five hours, 46 minutes and saw the Mets use all of their position players and every reliever other than Gonzalez Germen (they also enlisted Shaun Marcum to pinch hit). Collins called on 21 of his 22 players in uniform. The team also played 13 innings on Monday, and Collins admitted of his squad, “They’re tired.”
With the game tied 2-2 because of a terrific outing by surging Dillon Gee (seven innings, two runs, 2.47 ERA in his last seven starts), Arizona grabbed the lead in the 13th off David Aardsma, who didn’t retire any of the four hitters he faced. Aardsma capped it by walking Cody Ross on four pitches to force in the go-ahead run, the fans booing. But the Mets escaped further damage with a 3-2-3 double play and Marlon Byrd gunning down Eric Chavez, who was trying to score on Wil Nieves’ single, at the plate.
In the bottom of the 13th, Heath Bell retired the first two Mets and the game appeared over. But Recker — who entered the day batting just .182 — crushed a 2-1 pitch to left to tie things and send it to the 14th.
“I wouldn’t say I was swinging for the fences,” he said, “but it worked.”
Arizona re-grabbed a 4-3 lead on Martin Prado’s RBI single off Brandon Lyon, whom the Mets designated for assignment after the game. In his last 16 appearances spanning 16 2/3 innings, Lyon surrendered 13 runs on 28 hits and nine walks. Greg Burke will replace him.
With one out in the bottom of the 14th, Nieuwenhuis — who entered the day batting .154 — slammed an opposite-field homer to left off Chaz Roe to make it 4-4. It matched the franchise record for the latest game-tying homer ever. It got the Mets another inning — but not a victory.
mark.hale@nypost.com