LDN - Sports

Rockies rally late to fluster Familia, Mets

[July 29, 2016] NEW YORK -- The Colorado Rockies earned two of their biggest wins of the season in different fashion -- and in two different ballparks -- in a span of less than 24 hours. But there was an agonizing familiarity for the New York Mets to the rapid fashion in which they endured their two worst losses of the year.

David Dahl scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the ninth inning Thursday afternoon as the Rockies came back to beat the Mets 2-1 at Citi Field.

The victory came about 18 hours after Nick Hundley and Dahl homered in the sixth inning for the Rockies' first hits in an eventual 3-1 win over the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

The Rockies then flew from Baltimore to New York and got to their hotel a little before 2 a.m. On Thursday morning, Walt Weiss called the pair of games along the east coast a "... split doubleheader -- two states."

He can call it two wins, too.

"That's one of the better wins of the year, if not the best," Weiss said. "Really proud of our guys. Quick turnaround. That was a challenging game right there."

The challenge was compounded during the first eight innings, when the Rockies got just one runner into scoring position against a trio of Mets pitchers. But Colorado, which entered Thursday 0-41 when trailing after eight innings this season, rallied against All-Star closer Jeurys Familia, who blew the save in New York's 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field a night earlier.

Trevor Story led off the ninth with a single against Familia and stole second, Dahl drew a walk and both runners advanced a base when Daniel Descalso's two-strike bunt came to a stop just shy of the first-base foul line.

"Danny did it on his own," Weiss said. "I took the bunt off right there with two strikes and he had enough confidence to drop it down on his own. That was a gutsy play by him, and a big one.

Familia recovered to strike out Tony Wolters, but pinch hitter Cristhian Adames hit a broken-bat grounder in between first and second to score Story. First baseman James Loney was charged with an error when he bobbled the ball, though he was unlikely to complete the double play.

Three pitches later, Familia uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Dahl to race home. Prior to Wednesday, Familia had converted his last 52 regular-season opportunities. The Mets were also 48-0 when leading after eight innings before Wednesday night.

"Tough day, all-around, again," Mets manager Terry Collins said.

While Jordan Lyles (3-3) earned the win with a scoreless eighth and Carlos Estevez notched his 10th save, the Rockies likely would have entered the ninth facing a steeper deficit if not for Scott Oberg, who wriggled out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam created when the first three Mets reached against Jake McGee in the seventh.

Oberg got pinch hitter Kelly Johnson to hit into a fielder's choice that forced catcher Rene Rivera at the plate. He then struck out Curtis Granderson and retired Wilmer Flores on a fly out to center.

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Mets relief pitcher Jeurys Familia (27) reacts after leaving the game in the ninth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. The Colorado Rockies defeated the New York Mets 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

"Oberg's the hero of that game," Weiss said.

Story and Dahl had two hits apiece for the Rockies (50-52), who have won 10 of 14 since the All-Star Break. Left-hander Tyler Anderson allowed one run on seven hits and no walks while striking out five over six innings.

"It's definitely hard going from a night game into a day game," Oberg said. "That was really good for the team, being able to win both those games like that."

Neil Walker had three hits for the Mets (53-48), who were 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and are hitting just .206 in such situations this season.

"To be honest, we could have blown that game open by (hitting) some ground balls," Collins said. "Haven't been able to do that. That's what it comes down to. Our pitchers, they live on the edge. It's hard to do every night."

Familia's blown save cost Jacob deGrom the win. DeGrom permitted five hits and one walk while striking out six. He has allowed one run or fewer four times in his last six starts.

NOTES: Mets LF Yoenis Cespedes (right quad) did not start Thursday but drew an intentional walk as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning. He is questionable for the remainder of the four-game series. Cespedes missed four games earlier this month -- the two before the All-Star Break and the two after it -- with the injury. ... Mets 3B Jose Reyes (left intercostal strain) missed his third straight game. Manager Terry Collins said Reyes was still sore Wednesday night and would likely be unavailable Friday as well. ... The win by the Rockies snapped a 10-game losing streak at Citi Field dating back to Aug. 6, 2013. ... At 50-52, the Rockies are the closest they have been to .500 this late in a season since they last finished with a winning record in 2010.

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