NEW YORK – Neil Walker hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning that rallied the New York Mets past the Colorado Rockies 6-4 on Sunday and prevented a season sweep.
Walker also had an RBI triple, extending his recent tear at the plate, and Jeurys Familia rebounded from consecutive blown saves to close it out. New York sustained another costly injury, this one to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, but snapped a four-game skid that matched its longest this season.
Alejandro De Aza and rookie Brandon Nimmo each contributed a run-scoring single as the Mets finally generated some offense – and a little momentum heading into this week’s Subway Series against the retooling Yankees. The first two games are at Citi Field, with the final two across town in the Bronx.
Playing without ailing slugger Yoenis Cespedes, New York won for only the second time in 10 home games. In doing so, the Mets averted a four-game sweep and finished 1-6 against the Rockies (52-53) this year. Before that, they won 11 consecutive against Colorado – including a 7-0 mark last season.
Carlos Gonzalez hit a tying RBI double in the fifth and a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh off winner Jerry Blevins (4-1). Gonzalez also tried to score from third with two outs in the fifth on a pitch that got past Rene Rivera, but the Mets catcher made the tag as both players dove headlong toward the plate.
Daniel Descalso had two RBI singles for the Rockies, who had won five in a row and nine of 10.
De Aza walked with one out in the seventh and, one out later, James Loney drew a 10-pitch walk from Boone Logan (1-1). Walker drove his 17th homer to left-center, pumped his fist after crossing the plate and eventually came out for a curtain call.
It was the first home run allowed by Logan since Peter Bourjos connected for St. Louis on June 9 last year, the Rockies said. The left-hander’s streak lasted 45 2/3 innings.
Walker, who surpassed his home run total last season with Pittsburgh, had three hits and is 12-for-19 in his last five games following a 2-for-39 slump. It was his first long ball since a three-run shot July 15 at Philadelphia.
Addison Reed struck out three in a one-hit eighth, and Familia fanned two in a perfect ninth for his 37th save in 39 attempts this year.
The right-hander had racked up a franchise-record 52 consecutive saves in the regular season, the third-longest streak in major league history, before failing Wednesday night against St. Louis and Thursday vs. Colorado.
Cabrera was hurt while scoring from first base on Walker’s two-out triple in the first inning. As he looked back to find the ball, Cabrera stumbled immediately after rounding third and hobbled all the way home.
A few innings later, the Mets announced that Cabrera had a strained patellar tendon in his left knee – the same injury that sidelined him for a little more than two weeks during spring training this year.
Perhaps a slick spot played a role. The start was delayed 38 minutes by rain that fell much of the morning in Queens as the tarp covered the infield. In fact, a potentially wet field was one reason Mets manager Terry Collins held Cespedes out of the lineup.
Cespedes has been playing through a strained right quadriceps and left Saturday night’s rainy game after five innings when the nagging injury tightened up.
Rockies: Rookie shortstop Trevor Story sat out with a jammed left thumb that he injured Saturday night. Story, who began the day leading the National League with 27 home runs, said his goal is to return to the lineup Tuesday at home against the Dodgers. He might have an MRI on Monday after the Rockies return home, the team said. ... Slumping third baseman Nolan Arenado was out of the lineup for rest but entered on defense in the seventh.
Mets: Wilmer Flores moved from third base to shortstop to replace Cabrera, and Kelly Johnson entered at third.
Rockies: Following a day off, Colorado begins an eight-game homestand Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Right-handed pitcher Jon Gray (7-4, 3.94 ERA) pitches for the Rockies, looking to improve his 4-0 record at Coors Field. Gray has gone seven innings and allowed no more than one run in three consecutive starts, but has a 6.55 ERA in two outings against the Dodgers this year.
Mets: Right-handed pitcher Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.12 ERA) starts the Subway Series opener Monday night at Citi Field against Yankees left-handed pitcher CC Sabathia (6-8, 3.95). Verrett has never faced the Yankees.
