New York Mets second baseman Neil Walker (20). Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI |
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NEW YORK -- Neil Walker hit a long go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning Sunday afternoon, when the New York Mets avoided being swept in the season series by the Colorado Rockies with a 6-4 win in the finale of a four-game set at Citi Field.
The Mets (54-50) won for just the second time in the last seven games to remain 2 1/2 games behind the Miami Marlins in the race for the National League's second wild card, but it may have been a costly victory. Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who has played in a team-high 100 games, had to be helped off the field after suffering a strained left patellar tendon while scoring a run in the first inning.
The Rockies (52-53) had a five-game winning streak snapped and lost for just the second time in the last 11 games. Colorado, which swept the Mets in a three-game series at Coors Field in May, was trying to go over .500 after the All-Star Break for the first time since 2010.
The Mets squandered leads of 2-0 and 3-1 and fell behind on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Gonzalez in the top of the seventh. Their go-ahead rally began with one out in the bottom of the inning, when Alejandro De Aza drew a walk against left-hander Boone Logan (1-1). De Aza was forced at second on a grounder by Kelly Johnson before James Loney worked a walk following a 10-pitch at-bat.
Walker, who opened the Mets' scoring with an RBI triple in the first, homered to deep left-center two pitches later for his 17th homer -- one more than he had all of last season. He finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs Sunday and is 12-for-22 in seven games during the Mets' current homestand.
Walker's homer made a winner out of Jerry Blevins (4-1), who allowed the go-ahead run in the seventh. Right-hander Addison Reed allowed one hit in the eighth before Jeurys Familia notched his 37th save with a perfect ninth.
De Aza was 2-for-3 with an RBI single and reached base three times in four plate appearances. Brandon Nimmo had an RBI single as well for the Mets.
Daniel Descalso had two RBI singles for the Rockies while Gonzalez had an RBI double.
Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out six over six innings. Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis gave up three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out eight over six innings.
NOTES: The first pitch was delayed 38 minutes by rain. ... Mets LF Yoenis Cespedes (right quad) was out of the starting lineup for the second time in four games. Cespedes missed four games earlier this month with the same ailment. ... Rockies SS Trevor Story (jammed left thumb), who left in the fourth inning of Saturday night's game, did not start. Manager Walt Weiss said he hoped Story could return after Monday's off day. ... The Rockies last swept a season series of three games or more in 2009, when they went unbeaten against the Cincinnati Reds (7-0), Milwaukee Brewers (6-0) and Washington Nationals (6-0). The Mets were swept last season by the Chicago Cubs (0-7) and Pittsburgh Pirates (0-6).
