Someone plugged in the power in LoDo and the suddenly charged-up Rockies zapped the Mets, 11-10, Sunday afternoon at Coors Field.
The Rockies nearly blew the game when the Mets scored three runs in the ninth off reliever Justin Lawrence, who gave up a two-run triple to Tommy Pham.
Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon, who entered the weekend series in a serious home run drought, finished a triple short of the cycle and drove in five runs. He hit a three-run double in Colorado’s four-run fourth inning and followed up with a two-run homer in a five-run fifth.
“This game is such a humbling game, right?” said McMahon, whose five RBIs matched a career-high. “You can go from the top of the world to the bottom real quick. I definitely feel better with what I’m doing.”
McMahon hit a home run in all three games of the series, the second time in his career he’s launched homers in three consecutive games. Colorado won two of the three games to clinch its sixth series win over its last eight.
Manager Bud Black often says that McMahon cares about the team so much that he sometimes puts too much pressure on his own shoulders. McMahon dismissed that theory.
“I care about the guys in here and we have a great group,” McMahon said. “I really enjoy being around them. I know Buddy says that, but I think that’s just Buddy having my back. Sure, I put a little pressure on myself but who wouldn’t?”
The clubs combined for 29 hits, much to the delight of an announced sellout crowd of 47,471.
The Mets’ fans — and there were a lot of them — got to see a three-run homer from Francisco Alvarez in the fourth and a solo blast from Franciso Lindor in the seventh.
In addition to McMahon’s homer, the Rockies got a two-run homer from Charlie Blackmon, who extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine games. Blackmon has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games and reached base in 18 straight, slashing .318/.365/.561 with six doubles, two triples, two home runs and 12 RBIs over that span.
And Randal Grichuk, who got the start in center field, continued his hot streak, going 3 for 5 with two doubles and two RBIs. He’s hitting .366 in 21 games since coming off the injured list April 29.
Rockies starter Austin Gomber wasn’t immune to the extra-base-hit epidemic. The lefty blanked the Mets for three innings, escaping danger with groundball double plays in the first and third innings. But the Mets punished Gomber with six runs in the fourth. He set himself up for disaster by walking two in the inning, which included a two-run double by Pham and Alvarez’s three-run homer.
Over his last six starts, Gomber had posted a 3.74 ERA, but after surrendering six runs on eight hits over four innings on Sunday, his season ERA rose to 7.00.
“I thought my stuff was really sharp today, but it was just that one inning,” Gomber said. “I feel like that’s been the theme for the last month and half. I’m rolling and then I have that one bad inning. It’s snowballing a little bit in that one inning.”
New York starter Tylor Megill also departed after four innings. Colorado ripped him for six runs (four earned) on 10 hits.
The Rockies, who have won 12 of their last 17 at Coors Field, begin a seven-game, seven-day road trip Monday at Arizona.
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