Mets Series Review: Snowbound in the Rockies
While we were enjoying a taste of summer this weekend in New York, the Mets were getting out their winter coats and snow boots as it felt more like January than May as the Mets made their annual visit to Coors Field. The Mets missed summer by one day as it was 88F, like Stu's Pool in Denver on Thursday, as the Mets had their dramatic walk-off win against the Cardinals. However, it was snowing on Friday, so the Mets game was postponed. This meant the Mets would again play a doubleheader, the fifth of the season and 21st since the start of last season; no other team has played ten doubleheaders.
Carlos Carrasco started the opener of the split doubleheader for the Mets on Saturday. He was opposed by German Marquez. The Mets gave Carrasco an early lead as Starling Marte, returning from bereavement, hit a two-run home run. The Mets added two more runs in the second inning on a double by Patrick Mazeika. The Mets would eventually build a 5-0 lead, as Carlos Carrasco was effective. Carrasco was a decent cookie from Wawa as he would pitch five and one-third innings, allowing one run on seven hits with four strikeouts.
The Rockies got their run on an infield hit by Jose Iglesias as replay determined he had beat the throw to first by a step, allowing a run to score with two outs. Adam Ottavino was the first out of the pen, allowing the Iglesias hit as one of two inherited runners scored. Drew Smith was perfect in the seventh, while Seth Lugo finished the win, allowing one hit in two innings with three strikeouts as the Mets won the game 5-1.
The Rockies showing that they do not respect their fans, had a separate admission for the second game, as Coors Field was half-empty for both games, especially the second game, starting at 6:40 local time with temps dipping into the 30s. Trevor Williams started the Mets, while the Rockies went with a bullpen game. In a reversal of the opener, the Rockies got the early lead with a home run from C.J. Cron in the first inning. The Mets answered with two runs in the second, but Williams would give up another two-run shot to Brian Serven, who had been hitless in his MLB career coming into the game.
The Mets scratched across a run in the sixth, taking advantage of a wild pitch by Austin Goudeau as Trevor Williams pitched four innings. Adonis Medina escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth but could not escape a jam in the sixth as the Rockies broke the game open with seven runs. The big blows were a double by Sam Hilliard and a second home run by Serven. The Rockies bullpen shut down the Mets the rest of the way, winning the game 11-3.
Looking to win another rubber game and take the series, the Mets had Taijuan Walker on the mound on Sunday. The Rockies countered with Austin Gomber, who shut down the Mets in 2021. Both starting pitchers had strong games, as the game was scoreless through five innings, with each pitcher stranding two runners in the fifth.
In the sixth inning, the Mets caught a break when Randal Grichuck booted a single off the bat of Brand Nimmo. Nimmo advanced to third with one out on the two-base error. He would score the game's first run on a single by Francisco Lindor. Following a double by Jeff McNeil, the Mets made it 2-0 on a sac-fly off the bat of Pete Alonso.
Stake to a 2-0 lead, Taijuan Walker pitched seven strong innings allowing five hits with six strikeouts. Luis Guillorme, who had two hits, made several run-saving plays at third base as the game went to the bullpen. Adam Ottavino walked a pair and got two outs, while Joel Rodriguez made one pitch with Ryan McMahon ending the inning on a liner to third. Edwin Diaz came in for the ninth, allowed one hit, and struck out a pair as the Mets won 2-0 for their seventh shutout of the season.
The Mets now head to San Francisco for three games against the Giants, holding an eight-game divisional lead with a record of 28-15.