The dog days of summer are already taking a bite out of the Rockies.
Two awful innings doomed them in a 7-3 loss to the Mets at Citi Field on Saturday afternoon.
Combining walks, timely hits and a costly error by Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers, New York scored four runs in the second inning. It salted the game away in the eighth on a three-run home run by Francisco Lindor off Jalen Beeks.
The Rockies, 1-5 on their final road trip before next week’s All-Star break, slid to 33-63 and are on pace to finish the season 56-106.
The Rockies outhit the Mets 8-6 and had several chances to put together big innings, but as so often happens, they couldn’t deliver the clutch hit. They were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position.
The Rockies also struck out 13 times, and their 914 Ks are the most by any National League team.
Rockies starter Ryan Feltner’s growing pains continued. Although the right-hander gave up just two hits over 3 2/3 innings, he walked a career-high five. He needed 87 pitches (52 strikes) in his abbreviated start.
The second inning was a mess, but not all Feltner’s doing. Rodgers’ bases-loaded error fueled the Mets’ four-run outburst.
Pete Alonso led off with a single, and DJ Stewart drew a walk from Feltner, and then Ben Gamel drew a one-out walk to pack the bases. Luis Torrens hit a tailor-made, double-play grounder to Rodgers, but he bobbled the ball, then rushed his throw to shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, chucking it into left field for a two-run error. Jeff McNeil’s two-run double off Feltner capped New York’s big inning.
Colorado hung tough, getting a leadoff homer from Jake Cave in the third off of right-hander Christian Scott and a two-run, 420-foot homer to right from Charlie Blackmon in the fifth off of Scott. Blackmon’s sixth homer pulled Colorado within a run, at 4-3.
But the Mets’ eighth was a repeat of their second. Right-hander Victor Vodnik gave up a one-out walk to Ben Gamel and then plunked Torrens. Beeks relieved Vodnik and got Jeff McNeil to pop out in foul territory for the second out. With first base open, the Rockies decided to pitch Lindor. They paid the price when he blasted Beeks’ 2-1, 94.2 mph fast to center for his 17th homer.
Colorado’s bullpen has a big-league-high 5.86 ERA, the highest WHIP (1.61) and the highest batting average against (.289).
Sunday’s pitching matchup
Rockies RHP German Marquez (no record) at Mets LHP Jose Quintana (4-5, 3.91)
11:40 a.m. Sunday, Citi Field
TV:Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).
Radio:850 AM/94.1 FM
Marquez, an All-Star in 2021, makes his long-awaited return. The right-hander had Tommy John surgery in May of 2023. Sunday marks his first major league start since April 26, 2023, at Cleveland. The veteran right-hander made seven rehab appearances, going 0-4 with a 7.11 ERA, five walks and 24 strikeouts. He made four starts last season before his surgery, going 2-2 with a 4.95 ERA. Marquez needs three strikeouts to pass Jorge De La Rosa (983) for the most strikeouts in Rockies history. In seven career career starts vs. the Mets, he’s 4-2 with a 3.27 ERA.
Quintana is pitching well and picked up his fourth win against Washington on Tuesday. He pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and one walk while striking out five. Since surrendering eight runs on May 3, Quintana is 3-2 with a 3.13 ERA over his last 11 starts. He’s fanned 46 and walked only 17 during that span. Over his last five starts, Quintana is 3-0 with a 0.89 ERA. In nine career games (eight starts) vs. Colorado, he’s 3-3 with a 5.09 ERA.
Pitching probables
Monday-Thursday: All-Star break
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Originally Published: July 13, 2024 at 6:39 p.m.
