Gut Reaction: Mets 4, Rockies 2 (6/6/25)
Francisco Lindor came off the bench to deliver a two-run double in the ninth inning to lift the Mets to a 4-2 win over the Rockies Friday night at Coors Field. The Mets are now 40-24, 2.5 games ahead of the second-place Phillies.
Missing his second straight game with his broken toe, Lindor was inserted for Tyrone Taylor and drilled a pitch down into the right-field corner. Yet as impressive as Lindor’s hit was given the circumstances, we should note the great hustle and even better slide by Pete Alonso, who scored from first base. The throw beat Alonso comfortably but Alonso somehow managed to get his right hand in before the tag.
And that was far from the only highlight for Alonso. He drove in the Mets’ first runs with a 2-RBI double in the top of the seventh inning to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. And he made a strong defensive play, too. In the fifth inning, the Rockies had a runner at third. A ball was hit to Alonso and it looked like a sure RBI. Somehow, Alonso twirled and fired a strike to the plate to nab the runner. Just a great all-around day for Alonso.
Kodai Senga made his first start in Coors Field and acquitted himself well, going six innings and allowing just one run. He threw 109 pitches and lowered his ERA by a point, down to 1.59 after 12 starts.
Huascar Brazoban gave up a run to keep Senga from getting the win. It would be nice to see Brazoban get a few days off and return to being a multi-inning reliever.
And things looked dicey in the eighth inning, when the Rockies had the bases loaded with no outs. But Ryne Stanek survived, thanks to Brett Baty snaring a line drive and nabbing the runner off third for a key double play.
Edwin Diaz had a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 14th save.
The Mets finished with 10 hits but until the ninth inning they just couldn’t take advantage of numerous run-scoring opportunities, including their own bases-loaded, no-out situation in the sixth inning. Even with Lindor’s hit, the Mets were 2-15 with runners in scoring position.
Ronny Mauricio was 0-3 in those RISP opportunities. In his last at-bat, no one was on base and he ripped a double off the wall for his first hit in the majors this year. After some ugly at-bats since his recall, it was nice to see Mauricio make solid contact.
Clay Holmes will try to keep the Mets perfect against the Rockies this year, as he gets the start Saturday night in the 9:40 p.m. tilt.
Nice win for the Mets in a must win game against a team having an absolute horrible season. Who would have thought that teams would strive to pass the old loss record held by the Mets for 60 plus years before the White Sox claimed that designation. Big hit by Lindor on a broken toe. Anyone still think the Mets should have passed on Alonso? Keep waiting for the RISP debacle to hurt them more but their pitching has kept them in it all season. They’d be ten games up if they could knock in easy to score runs. Need a little more small ball in their lives. Nice comment Metsense about all the baby Mets in the lineup. Now if they’d only hit at the same time!
A little over a year ago, Lindor led a clubhouse meeting that catalyzed the ‘24 season turnaround. Tonight was a perfect bookend with his clutch game-winner. Plus the second game of the last week with major contributions from each of the big three. ICYMI, take a look at the Syracuse score tonight. I don’t want to spoil it if you’ve not seen it.