Take Me Home Colorado, Mets Fail to Do So in 2nd Straight Loss to Rocks in Game 1 of Doubleheader

Rockies 3 Mets 1 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)

Mets record: 9-18

Mets streak: Lost 2

WP -Jose Quintana (1-2)

LP -Nolan McLean (1-2)

SV -Victor Vodnik (4)

Seat on the Korner: Jose Quintana

We select a Star of the Game and virtually invite him to take his Seat on the Korner — just as Ralph Kiner did on WOR-TV Channel 9 during the early days of the New York Mets.

Continuing the tradition of Rheingold Beer sponsoring Kiner’s Korner, this season every seat is proudly presented by The Main Event Restaurant & Sports Bar.

With locations in Plainview and Farmingdale, The Main Event features 80+ HD TVs, fresh daily seafood, and Black Angus certified steaks—so you never have to choose between great food and the big game.

Former Met Jose Quintana earned the seat next to Ralph as he returned to haunt his former team. Quintana gave up one run on two hits in 5.1 IP to pick up his first win of the season. The left hander is now 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA (35 IP, 15 ER) and 30 strikeouts against the Mets.

Need to Know

• The Mets are playing their 37th doubleheader since 2021, the most in the majors. By losing the first game, the Mets will have not swept a doubleheader since May 21st, 2023 when they swept the Cleveland Guardians at Citi.

• Tyrone Taylor's home run was his first at Citifield since April 30th of last season.

• Juan Soto has reached base in all 12 games that he's played this season.

• Francisco Alvarez had a pinch hit single in the eighth, his first ever pinch hit after being 0 for 28 as a pinch-hitter.

• During one stretch, the Mets had 11 straight hitters retired. It was the 7th time this season that the Mets have had 10 or more batters retired consecutively. Colorado pitchers had retired 21 of 22 Mets hitters before the Alvarez single.

• There was an unusual circumstance involving the ABS challenge system in the top of the 7th inning. Colorado's Edouard Julien challenged a strike call and won the challenge but the Mets appealed that he swung at the pitch. The appeal was upheld and instead of it being 3-1, the count was 2-2. Julien eventually grounded out. There were 8 ABS challenges in the game.

  
  

Turning Point

The Mets left the bases loaded twice in the game, but the second time was likely the turning point. Trailing 3-1 in the eighth, the Mets loaded the bases with one out and had Rockies reliever Jaden Hill on the ropes, but Luis Robert Jr. fouled out to first and Mark Vientos struck out swinging. In the first, the Mets had the bases loaded and one out against ol' friend Jose Quintana, but Marcus Semien struck out swinging for the second out. Brett Baty thought he had walked on a 3-2 pitch to force in a run. Rockies catcher Brett Sullivan challenged the call and it was overturned as Baty was called out on strikes to end the inning.

Three Keys

No offense, that's the point

The Mets continued their "run prevention" at the plate. Mets have now scored four runs or fewer in 17 of 27 games, 2 runs or fewer in 13 of those games. Mets are now hitting .227 (206 for 908) as a team. Mets have lost 14 of their last 16 and have been outscored 84-39 in that span. Mets were 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position and are now hitting .238 (51 for 214) with RISP this season. Marcus Semien was 0 for 4 and is 0 for 8 in the series. Juan Soto has reached base in all 12 games that he's played this season, but since his first game back on April 1st when he homered, he's 4 for 15 (.267) with no home runs and no runs batted in.

Living for the Citi

Nolan McLean made his eighth career home start and has posted a 1.71 ERA (9 ER/47.1 IP) at Citifield. It is the fifth best mark to start his career in a Mets uniform. Noah Syndergaard (1.46), Taijuan Walker (1.52), Carl Willey (1.57) and Charlie Puleo (1.70) are the four ahead of him. McLean had seven strikeouts and has had at least six in all eight of his home starts. McLean is 0-2 with two no decisions in his four home starts this season. In 14 career starts, McLean is 6-3 with a 2.27 ERA (21 ER, 83.1 IP) with 102 strikeouts.

This is not your father's Rockies

Colorado clinched their first series win against the Mets since May, 2023. After snapping an eight game losing streak against the Mets on Friday, they have now won two straight. Rockies improved to 25-32 at Citified. Colorado won their 12th game of the season. Last season, they did not win their 12th game until June 4th.