It's safe to say the New York Mets are ready to go back home.
In the second-to-last game of their west coast road trip, New York fell to the Colorado Rockies in rather frustrating fashion.
Rocked in the 3rd inning
The Mets and Rockies traded runs in the first two innings; after an RBI groundout by Nolan Arenado (Rockies) and RBI singles from Kevin Plawecki (Mets) and DJ Lemahieu (Rockies), the home team had a 2-1 lead going into the third inning.
With Logan Verrett on the mound for the Mets, Arenado and Gerardo Parra lead off with back-to-back singles. But, after inducing a Carlos Gonzalez flyout and walking Mark Reynolds, Verrett ran into a conundrum. After walking Lemahieu to force in a run, Verrett faced rookie catcher Tony Wolters. On a 2-2 pitch, Wolters appeared to swing and miss on a bouncing curveball, but umpire Carlos Torres called a foul tip. Mets manager Terry Collins ran out from the dugout, fuming at the rookie umpire for missing what looked like a swinging strike three, but Collins got tossed, and Tony Wolters would soon rip a 2-run double to center. Instead of facing the pitcher's spot down 3-1 with two outs, Verrett was down 5-1 with only one away. After Rockie pitcher Eddie Butler grounded out, Charlie Blackmon padded the lead with a 2-run single, and Verrett would exit the game before the end of the third.
Bullpen battle
Eddie Butler didn't last long into the night either. The right-hander, who entered Saturday night with a 3.86 ERA, finished with a line of five innings pitched, three strikeouts, with nine hits and four earned runs allowed. From the sixth inning on, Colorado was dependent on their bullpen, which performed admirably. Former Met Gonzalez Germen went 1 2/3 innings and allowed 3 hits, but limited damage by inducing Asdrubal Cabrera into a huge double play in the sixth inning. Carlos Estevez dazzled with a two strikeout, scoreless eighth inning, and Jake McGee closed it out in the ninth for his 11th save of the season.
Meanwhile, the Met bullpen kept the Rockies at bay, allowing just two hits in 5 1/3 innings. In one of their more gut wrenching losses of the year, New York relievers proved to be a positive. In addition to that, second baseman Neil Walker jolted out of his recent slump and went 3-for-4 with his 10th home run of the year.
Up next
Now in third place in the N.L. East, the Mets will hope to end their road trip on a high note. Jacob deGrom takes the mound for them against Tyler Chatwood, and Sunday's first pitch at Coors Field is at 4:10PM ET. The Mets are hoping to avoid a sweep in Denver, but with a win, they can salvage a 5-6 record on the road trip.