|
 Gray's strong start helped the Colorado Rockies end a long drought
against the New York Mets with a 5-2 victory at Coors Field.
The Rockies had lost 11 straight games to the Mets dating to May 4,
2014. The Mets' winning streak in the series tied for their second
longest against one team in franchise history.
Gray (1-0) worked seven innings, ending a string of 13 career starts
without a win, a franchise record for winless starts at the outset
of a career. He allowed five hits, two runs and one walk with eight
strikeouts. Gray also singled in the fifth for his first career hit
after going 0-for-19.
Gray had no record and an 11.42 ERA in two previous starts this
season at Coors Field and was 0-1 with a 9.20 ERA in seven career
starts there before taming the Mets. He retired nine of the final 10
batters he faced and threw a career-high 105 pitches, 71 for
strikes.
Gray made nine starts last year and was on a pitch count after
making his major league debut in early August and took the mound
four more times this season before finally savoring a victory.
"I've been trying to get it since last year," Gray said, "but now
I'm finally glad to get it out of the way and move on from here and
look forward to the next start."
 Gray gave up a two-run double to No. 8 hitter Kevin Plewacki in the
second inning after getting two quick outs before issuing his lone
walk and hitting a batter. Gray reached 98 mph with his fastball,
consistently hit 97 mph, and his slider was exceptional.
"That's my go-to, that's my put-away (pitch)," Gray said. "I felt
real confident with that as usual and rode that thing. It was
awesome."
Gray was coming off two good starts at San Diego and San Francisco
on the Rockies' last road trip and carried that momentum to the
Coors Field mound. In his past three starts, Gray has a 1.80 ERA (20
innings, four earned runs) with four walks and 24 strikeouts.
Rookie Carlos Estevez, whom manager Walt Weiss is using regularly in
high-leveraged situations, gave up a one-out triple to Michael
Conforto in the eighth but retired the next two batters. Jake McGee
set the side down in order in the ninth to earn his 10th save in 12
chances and preserve the win for Gray before a crowd of 38,712.
"It means the world to me that it was done here," Gray said. "I see
it as a step. I'm not saying (that) to be content or anything. I'm
looking forward to what's next."
Charlie Blackmon extended his hitting streak to 10 games with his
second straight three-hit game and drove in a run. Trevor Story had
two doubles and an RBI.
Mets starter Matt Harvey (3-5), who made his Coors Field debut, was
coming off a win at San Diego on Sunday where he gave up two runs
and four hits in six innings with 10 strikeouts. But he allowed 11
hits in 5 2/3 innings and five runs.
[to top of second column] |
"I'm just not feeling comfortable throwing the baseball right now,"
Harvey said. "It's frustrating. It's something obviously I've done
my whole life, go on the mound and throw a baseball. And right now,
it's not an easy task. I've got to keep my head down, keep focused
and keep pushing to figure it out."
Harvey gave up two runs in the fourth on Gerardo Parra's double and
Mark Reynolds' single. After his single in the fifth, Gray scored on
Story's double. Harvey gave up a run in the sixth when DJ LeMahieu
doubled and scored when Tony Wolters, taking advantage of a shift,
grounded a single through shortstop. Harvey was charged with his
final run when Blackmon doubled off Jerry Blevins, scoring Wolters.
"He didn't have his good stuff, plus stuff, but he competed," Mets
manager Terry Collins said of Harvey. "You get out of a game here
without giving up a ton of runs, you've pitched OK. We've seen him
better. His last outing he was better. But it's a work in
progress,and we'll get him ready for his next start."
NOTES: Rockies SS Jose Reyes was suspended without pay through May
31 for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy.
With a $22 million salary this season, the suspension, which is
retroactive to Feb. 23, will cost Reyes a reported $6,251,366 as
part of a negotiated settlement. He will miss 51 games and is
eligible to begin a minor league rehab assignment June 1 that can
last 20 days. ... Rockies INF Daniel Descalso, who suffered a
fractured left hand March 11, was reinstated from the 15-day
disabled list and grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.
1B/OF Ben Paulsen was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. ... Rockies
RHP Miguel Castro (right shoulder inflammation) began a rehab
assignment Friday night for Triple-A Albuquerque and allowed three
hits, including a homer, and two runs in one inning while throwing
15 pitches... Rockies LHP Tyler Matzek (anxiety) walked the one
batter he faced on four pitches Friday night for Class A Modesto,
the same outcome he had when he began a rehab assignment with that
club Wednesday and faced one batter... Mets RHP Logan Verrett, who
will make a spot start Saturday in place of Steven Matz, allowed one
earned run on four hits in a career-high eight innings with a
career-high eight strikeouts in his other start at Coors Field on
Aug. 23, 2015. ... Mets 3B David Wright's career-high streak of
consecutive games with a walk ended at 11. It was tied for the
second longest such streak in team history.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
