Bullpen blows it late, Rockies drop series to Mets

DENVER – With every chance to win their third straight series, the Colorado Rockies couldn’t get enough done on offense and saw a late collapse from the bullpen to drop the rubber match to the New York Mets by a score of 7-4.

On paper, it looked like a mismatch for the starting pitchers between Jeff Hoffman and Noah Syndergaard. However, Hoffman was mostly able to match the man known as Thor and the game was ultimately decided by the bullpens.

Things got started with a bang when Jeff McNeil hit a towering home run to right in the second at bat of the contest.

Sam Hilliard got that one back in the bottom of the second with an absolute rocket to right field at 107.2 MPH off the bat. It traveled 447 feet and into the second deck.

He got Syndergaard again in the bottom of the fourth on a 3-2 pitch out away from him that he went with and lofted just over the wall in left. It was quite the impressive feat to see the rookie cover both sides of the plate and hit a homer to both sides of the field against such an established pitcher.

The Rockies loaded the bases in the fifth, but were only able to manage one run out of the situation. Hoffman led off with a perfectly executed push-bunt single. Trevor Story hit a low liner into center for another single and Ryan McMahon walked to load ’em up.

Nolan Arenado swung at the first pitch he saw, a fastball on the inner half, and got jammed, popping up to first. Charlie Blackmon made sure that Colorado got a run by producing a sac fly to left before Ian Desmond grounded out to short to end the inning.

The Mets pulled to within one in the following half-inning when Pete Alonso obliterated a hanging curve ball from Hoffman and deposited it onto the left-field concourse for his ridiculous 49th home run of the season.

Robinson Cano followed with a hard liner over Hilliard’s head in center for a double. Hoffman then walked Todd Frazier, bringing lefty Michael Conforto to the plate and manager Bud Black to the mound. Black countered with his own lefty, Phillip Diehl, who couldn’t find his command in issuing a walk that loaded the bases with one away.

Yency Almonte inherited the tough situation and got Amed Rosario to pop up behind the second-base bag before Rene Rivera rolled over to shortstop to end the inning and preserve the 3-2 lead.

Garrett Hampson almost stole an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. He singled to right with one out then swiped second base despite a pitch out. A moment later, he swiped third without a throw. Dom Nunez was unable to bring him in with a productive out, striking out against a good Syndergaard fastball. Pinch-hitter Raimel Tapia cashed in the run with a solid single to right.

New York got one back in the eighth thanks to an ill-timed passed ball from Nunez. Alonso led off with a single and moved up on a ground out from Cano. The misplay behind the plate came after a walk of Frazier, allowing both runners to advance.

Alonso scored on a ground out from Michael Conforto to make it a 4-3 ballgame.

The Rockies went down in order in the bottom half then handed the ball right back to Jairo Diaz who walked Ramos and surrendered a single to J.D. Davis that put runners at the corners with nobody out. Brandon Nimmo pulled a single through the right side to tie the game and give Diaz his first blown save since being moved into the closer role.

McNeil drew another walk to chase Diaz from the game and force Joe Harvey from the pen to face Alonso with the bases loaded. He walked the intimidating slugger on four wild ones nowhere near the strike zone to give the Mets the lead.

He got Cano to ground into a double play that brought in another run then gave up a single to relief pitcher Seth Lugo to make it a 7-4 game.