Mets blow big early lead, drop series to Rockies

DENVER — Ryan McMahon homered for the third straight game and drove in five runs, Charlie Blackmon also went deep and the Colorado Rockies outslugged the New York Mets 11-10 on Sunday.

McMahon had a three-run double in a four-run fourth inning against Tylor Megill and hit a 437-foot, two-run homer to center field off Stephen Nogosek (0-1) an inning later when the Rockies scored five more times. Colorado erased a 6-2 deficit to take two of three in the series and complete a 5-2 homestand.

“Our guys are rallying around each other,” said manager Bud Black, who improved to 441-483 and passed the late Don Baylor for the second-most wins in Rockies history. “It’s really a good group of guys who understand their role.”

Francisco Alvarez hit a three-run homer in the Mets’ six-run fourth and Francisco Lindor had a solo shot. Tommy Pham added a two-run double and then had a two-run triple in a three-run ninth. The Mets ended the season series 2-4 against the last-place Rockies and slipped back to .500.

“We’re a better team than what our record is right now,” said Brandon Nimmo, who went 2 for 3 with two walks. “It’s going to take putting the pitching and the hitting together and we’ll have better results. This team, we feel good going up against anybody.”

Randal Grichuk had three hits and drove in two, while Peter Lambert (1-1) allowed one run and three hits in 2 2/3 innings for Colorado in a game where both starting pitchers gave up six runs in four innings.

McMahon’s batting average sunk to .212 after going 0 for 3 in 10-2 loss to Miami on Wednesday that extended his homerless drought to 27 games. Since then he’s 8 for 15 with three homers and nine RBIs as the Rockies have finally started to hit for power.

“This game is such a humbling game, right?” said McMahon, who matched a career high in RBIs. “You can go from the top of the world to the bottom real quick. I definitely feel better with what I’m doing.”

Blackmon homered for the second time in three games and the Rockies have scored 30 times over the past four games at hitter-friendly Coors Field.

Mets manager Buck Showalter shuffled his lineup, including moving the hot-hitting rookie Alvarez from ninth to second in the order.

That move worked, with the 21-year-old catcher going deep against Austin Gomber for his second homer in as many days and eighth of the season. It was Alvarez’s first homer against a left-hander.

Starling Marte also started in center field for the first time since 2021 with Oakland, with Nimmo the DH. That didn’t go as planned.

Marte couldn’t track down McMahon’s bases-clearing drive to left-center in the expansive Coors Field outfield. And Austin Wynns’ RBI double in the fifth landed at the base of the wall with Marte playing shallow.

“He was playing over in right-center on the one and he just couldn’t get to it,” Showalter said. “He’s our best option out there.”

Gomber allowed eight hits and walked three. Two runs against Megill were unearned, but due to his own error. He gave up 10 hits and walked two in what’s been an uneven season.

“It’s been frustrating,” Megill said. “I’ve got to keep going out and working and building that consistency.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: 2B Jeff McNeil (groin tightness) was out of the lineup, but available off the bench. … RHP Elieser Hernández (shoulder strain) struck out the side on 15 pitches in a perfect one-inning rehab start with Class A St. Lucie.

Rockies: RHP Dinelson Lamet (back stiffness) rejoined the team after a successful minor league rehab stint and could start Wednesday at Arizona. … CF Brenton Doyle (bruised right knee) came in to play defense in the ninth after missing two games.

STILL GOING

Colorado LF Jurickson Profar singled in the fourth to extend the majors’ longest active on-base streak to 35 games. It’s tied for the seventh-longest streak in team history.

BLACK’S MILESTONE

Black, in his seventh season, is 93 wins shy of Clint Hurdle’s club mark. No Rockies manager has a winning overall record.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Kodai Senga (4-3, 3.94 ERA) starts Tuesday night against Philadelphia LHP Ranger Suárez (0-1, 9.82) to open a six-game homestand.

Rockies: RHP Karl Kauffman (0-2, 9.35) starts a Memorial Day matinee at Arizona against RHP Ryne Nelson (1-2, 5.02).