Rockies Top Mets 3-1
The Colorado Rockies (47-73) kept things close enough to be able to take advantage of a pair of eighth inning mistakes by the New York Mets (57-65), to earn the 3-1 win last night in the Big Apple. Game 2 of the three-game series is tonight at 5:10 MT at Citi Field (TV: Root Sports).
Colorado's bullpen almost blew the one-run eighth-inning lead the team took in the top of the frame, but with the bases loaded and two outs, reliever Matt Belisle narrowly beat out -- by no more than an inch -- a sliding Jordany Valdespin at first base to kill the rally. Rockies first baseman Tyler Colvin fielded Valdespin's sharp ground ball down the line, then tossed to Belisle for the out -- though Mets manager Terry Collins darted from the dugout to argue the call along with Valdespin.
It was a busy eighth inning.
Jonathan Herrera opened the top of the frame with a bunt single between the mound and first base, but Mets reliever Josh Edgin's glove-toss to first baseman Ike Davis sailed past the bag to allow Herrera to advance. He scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball two batters later after advancing on a sacrifice bunt.
Colorado ultimately tacked on an insurance run in the ninth on a pinch-hit RBI single by Ramon Hernandez off Jon Rauch.
Official: Monday's Box Score.
Even though Colorado will -- at least temporarily -- return to a five-man rotation this week with Jhoulys Chacin's return from the disabled list, the Rockies didn't let Alex White pitch far beyond the team's set 75-pitch limit for members of its four-man rotation.
White threw 29 pitches in the first inning -- the only frame in which he allowed a run -- and ultimately departed after four innings with 83 pitches. Piggyback reliever Guillermo Moscoso pitched 2 1/3 innings of shutout ball as Colorado's tandem system worked to full effect.
"Our job is to keep the team in it and hand it off to the guy behind us," White said. "But our bullpen is really good, and we're doing our jobs right now and its helping us win.
As for New York's R.A. Dickey, the knuckleballer held the Rockies to just one big hit over seven innings -- a game-tying solo home run by Tyler Colvin in the fifth -- but that was the only run they put on the board against him. In all, Dickey allowed just three hits and struck out six before he was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Overall, Colorado's pitching staff did a formidable job of shutting down New York's lineup, and Rafael Betancourt sealed the deal with his 24th save of the season. That, coupled with getting to the worst bullpen in the National League, was and will be the Rockies' formula for success for their four-game set against the Mets.
Tickets are available for the Rockies’ next home game at Coors Field vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 27th, and can be purchased by calling (800) 388-ROCK, or click here.