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 Cespedes went 5-for-6, adding a double, seven RBIs and five runs as
the Mets defeated the Rockies for the ninth consecutive time.
Catcher Travis d'Arnaud and left fielder Michael Conforto hit
back-to-back homers in the seventh inning to boost the Mets' lead to
12-8.
Cespedes set career highs in homers, hits, RBIs and runs.
"He's a special talent," Mets manager Terry Collins said.
The center fielder hit a grand slam in the second inning and a solo
shot in the fourth. He belted a two-run homer in the sixth to give
the Mets a 10-8 lead after the Rockies fought back from a 7-1
deficit in the second to tie the score st 8-8 in the fifth.
With a chance for a fourth homer, Cespedes singled in the eighth
inning. In the ninth, Cespedes lined a ball to right-center that
seemed headed for the gap, but right fielder Carlos Gonzalez made a
nice running catch.
"I thought the last ball had a shot, and now you just can't wait to
see what he's going to do tomorrow," Collins said.
Cespedes wasn't thinking of a fourth homer, his sights set instead
on hitting for the cycle.
"All I had in my mind is go to third," Cespedes said. "I was trying
to hit a triple."
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Cespedes has five homers with the Mets and 21 overall this season,
counting his time with the Detroit Tigers before he was traded to
New York for two minor league pitchers on July 31.
The grand slam was part of a six-run second inning in which the Mets
took a 7-1 lead and chased Colorado rookie Jon Gray.
The right-hander gave up seven runs on eight hits in one and 2/3
innings in his fourth career start. Gray allowed one hit and one run
in six innings when he faced the Mets in New York two starts ago.
"There was no command of the fastball at all today," Gray said. "And
it's a little tough to get outs when that's what you pitch off of.
It was just bad. I don't think I got ahead of any guys tonight. I
had plenty of chances to get myself out of situations, and I just
didn't make the pitches."
(Compiled by Ian Ransom)
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