Jason Vargas allowed three straight home runs in the third inning and the Mets could not catch up in a 10-8 loss to the Rockies on Tuesday night at Coors Field.
For a full box score of the game, click here.
Things you should know about tonight's game...
1) Betrayed by poor defense and bad luck in the first inning, Vargas (2-6) allowed two runs on four hits in the frame before falling apart in the third. The southpaw surrendered back-to-back-to-back homers and was removed after allowing five of the six batters he faced in the inning to reach safely. Vargas has a 13.50 ERA in four career starts at Coors Field after he was charged with seven runs and nine hits over 2 1/3 innings. He hit a batter and did not issue a walk or record a strikeout.
2) On the power of three straight homers by Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story and Ian Desmond, the Rockies sent 12 men to the plate and scored six times in the third to snap a 2-2 tie. Hansel Robles served up consecutive RBI hits after Vargas left the game with a man on first and one out.
3) Trailing, 10-4, in the seventh, the Mets cut into the lead on Jose Bautista's RBI single and loaded the bases with one out. They managed one run on a wild pitch but nothing more. Todd Frazier and Michael Conforto had sacrifice flies while Asdrubal Cabrera had two hits and two RBIs. Kevin Plawecki chipped in with a double and a run-scoring single. Brandon Nimmo singled, walked, scored twice and drove in a run with a groundout in the ninth.
Michael Avallone, SNY.tv | Twitter |
Games like the Mets and Rockies played in Colorado are not quite as common as they once were, but humidor or not, the two clubs combined for 18 runs and 25 hits with New York coming out on the losing end. Far better pitchers have experienced even worse outings that Jason Vargas did on Tuesday night, but it marked the fifth time in nine starts that the lefty has surrendered at least five runs in an outing. Despite a solid stretch of starts over the last month, Vargas' ERA rose to an unsightly 8.60.
They certainly don't have any other options at the moment, but if Noah Syndergaard returns and things remain as they are -- which is never a good thing to assume -- there is no way the club can justify keeping Vargas in the rotation. Again, it may not be fair to judge him too harshly based on a start at Coors Field, but this is a continuation of what is shaping up to be a dreadful season for the veteran.
Offensively, the Mets pushed eight runs across, marking the fourth consecutive game they've scored at least five times. Playing in a pair of extreme hitters' parks certainly helps, but the law of averages was also bound to turn at some point. New York may not be filled with a bevy of offensive talent, but it's easy to forget they were in the midst of an historically bad stretch of futility. The true test on whether New York has shaken their offensive doldrums will be when they return to Citi Field this weekend. Through 34 games at home, the Mets have averaged 3.06 runs per game while hitting .213/.291/.340.
News and notes...
The Mets' bid for a third winning streak of at least four games was stopped. They dropped to 1-4 against the Rockies this season and 3-5 on their 10-game road trip.
New York has scored 30 runs over its last four games after totaling 21 in their previous 12 contests. It's the first time the Mets have tallied four or more runs in four consecutive games since a since a five-game stretch from April 8-13.
New York had not pushed across five or more runs in four consecutive games since a five-game stretch from Sept. 6-10, 2017.
Since ending an 0-for-22 slide in his last at-bat on June 13, Conforto has gone 8-for-22 (.364) with four doubles, two homers and five RBIs in six games, plus one at-bat.
Vargas came into the game with a 3.91 ERA over his last five starts. He has yet to throw a pitch in the sixth inning through his first nine starts of the season.
Jay Bruce was placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to June 18 with soreness in his right hip. RHP Tim Peterson was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.
What's next...
The Mets (31-39) continue their series with the Rockies (35-38) on Wednesday night at Coors Field at 8:30 p.m. on SNY.
Seth Lugo (2-2, 2.49 ERA/2.95 FIP, 54 K, 0.947 WHIP) starts the middle game of the set looking to bounce back after allowing a season-high five runs and eight hits in five innings against the Diamondbacks last Friday. The 28-year-old had tossed 10 scoreless frames in his first two starts of the season prior to his rough start against Arizona. Lugo pitched three shutout innings in relief against the Rockies earlier this season. He is 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in three career appearances (one start) against Colorado.
Chad Bettis (5-1, 4.65 ERA/4.99 FIP, 59 Ks, 1.291 WHIP) enters Wednesday's start having allowed five runs in four consecutive starts. Since he blanked the Mets over seven innings on May 5, the right-hander has a 7.71 ERA in seven outings, including an 8.44 mark in his last four. Bettis is 1-0 with a 4.05 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against New York.