Mets Fall to Rockies Despite Álvarez's Big Night

Francisco Álvarez. David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

After a Friday night win over Colorado, the Mets looked to win their third in a row on Saturday against the Rockies. It was Justin Verlander on the mound for the Mets against Chase Anderson for the home Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies dominated early, finding their way to a 6-0 lead over the Mets until the fourth inning. Pete Alonso came up in the fourth and hit a solo home run to put the Mets on the board.

The Mets continued their rally in the sixth inning. The Mets accrued six hits in the sixth, with a big double by Brett Baty and a three-run home run by the rookie Álvarez to tie the game. The Mets scored five runs on six hits in the inning and the game went to the seventh tied.

The Mets grabbed the lead for the first time in the seventh on tan RBI single by Marte, but the Rockies came right back in the bottom of the seventh courtesy of a double by Elias Diaz and a two-run home run by Ryan McMahon to make it an 8-7 game.

As the bottom of the eighth then came around, the Rockies regained the lead once again on a triple by Jurickson Profar and an RBI single from Elias Diaz. After eight innings it was 10-7 Rockies.

The Rockies ultimately went on to defeat the Mets 10-7 in a back-and-forth exciting offensive and defensive game.

The Mets put one runner on in the top of the first courtesy of a one-out single by Jeff McNeil, but they were unable to capitalize on the runner as Anderson got out of the inning.

Verlander came out and cruised through the bottom half of the first in a promising first inning of work as he retired the Rockies in order to open their half at the plate.

The Mets went down quiet once again in the top of the second. Mark Canha reached on a two-out walk, but Mark Vientos lined out to end the inning.

The Rockies struck first big in the bottom of the second. After Verlander struck out Ryan McMahon to open the inning, the flood gates opened. Randal Grichuk and Harold Castro hit back-to=back singles to put two runners on. Then Nolan Jones followed with an RBI single to left field that scored Grichuk to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead. Jones represented the third straight for the Rockies. Alan Trejo kept their ralley going with the Rockies’ fourth straight hit, an RBI double to right field that scored Castro and made it a 2-0 game.

Verlander continued to struggle in the second, walking Ezequiel Tovar to load the bases. Charlie Blackmon kept the punishment coming to Verlander with an RBI double to right field that scored two runs and it was quickly 4-0 Rockies. Jurickson Profar then continued to pile it on with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Tovar and make it a 5-0 game before Verlander and the Mets finally got out of the inning and avoided even more damage.

The Mets almost had some momentum going in the third. Francisco Álvarez hit a long line drive to center field that would have resulted in a triple, but his hand came off the bag as the Rockies tagged him out. Álvarez was credited with a double, but out trying to extend it to a triple. Nimmo and Lindor were then respectively retired to end the top of the inning.

The Rockies added on to their lead again in the bottom of the third. After a leadoff single by McMahon and a one-out single by Castro, Jones came up and hit an RBI double to right field to score McMahon and extend the Rockies’ lead to 6-0. Verlander then retired the next two he faced to get out of any other trouble.

Pete Alonso put the Mets on the board in the top of the fourth. He hit a one-out home run, his 20th of the season, to deep left-center field to make it a 6-1 game in Colorado. Anderson, however, retired the next two he faced to end the inning.

Verlander had his best inning of the game in the bottom of the fourth as he retired the Rockies in order.

The Mets again tried to get some momentum in the top of the fifth. Canha was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Mark Vientos then followed with a single to center field that advanced Canha to third. The Mets were again unable to produce, however, as Anderson retired the next three batters he faced to keep the Mets from scoring.

Verlander threw his second scoreless inning of the game in the fifth as he settled in from his earlier struggles. He retired three of four he faced, giving up just a one-out double to Grichuk. But the Rockies were unable to move the runner as Verlander kept the Rockies at bay in the inning.

The Rockies went to their bullpen in the sixth inning, bringing in Brent Suter. The Mets, after going down fairly quiet in the first half of the game, exploded for five runs against him.

Jeff McNeil singled to lead off the inning. Alonso then followed with a single to put two runners on. With no outs, Baty then represented the Mets’ third straight hit, an RBI double that scored McNeil to make it a 6-2 game. Starling Marte then drove in a run on a fielder’s choice to make it 6-3.

Two batters later Vientos singled to keep two runners on.

That was all for Suter as the Rockies brought in Jake Bird to replace Suter on the mound for the Rockies.

Vientos was then followed after the pitching change by Álvarez, who hit a three-run home run to tie the game at six apiece.

Nimmo then came up and singled before Francisco Lindor struck out to end the inning.

With the game tied, the Mets went to their bullpen in the bottom of the sixth. They brought in Dominic Leone to replace Verlander on the mound.

Justin Verlander‘s final line:

5.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 4.80 ERA

The Rockies put one runner on in the sixth, a one-out single by Tovar. But Leone retired the next two he faced and ended the inning to keep it a tied game after six innings.

For the first time Saturday, the Mets took the lead in the seventh. McNeil led with a walk. Three batters later, with two outs and McNeil on second, Starling Marte singled to right field to score McNeil and give the Mets a 7-6 lead!

The Mets went back to their bullpen in the seventh. Jeff Brigham came in to replace Leone on the mound for the Mets.

The Rockies regained the lead in the seventh. Elias Diaz doubled to lead off the inning. Then McMahon, who was red hot on Saturday night, followed with a two-run home run that made it an 8-7 lead in favor of Colorado.

Still with no outs, Grichuk was hit by a pitch to keep the Rockies’ rally and run-fest going. After a mound visit, Brigham retired the next three batters he faced to avoid more damage from being done.

The Mets went down in order in the eighth inning on two strikeouts and a groundout.

The Mets went back to their bullpen once again in the bottom of the eighth. Drew Smith came on to replace Brigham on the mound.

The Rockies poured it back on the Mets in the eighth. Tovar walked to lead off the inning. Two batters later Profar tripled to score Tovar and make it 8-7 Rockies. Diaz then followed with a two-RBI single to make it 10-7 Rockies. McMahon then grounded out to end the inning.

The Mets went down in order in the ninth as the Rockies went on to win the battle with a 10-7 win over the Mets.

Lawrence (2-2) got the win for Colorado; Brigham (0-1) suffered his first bullpen loss; Johnson (11) got the save.