NEW YORK -- Nobody tried to stop Charlie Blackmon as he went tearing around the bases. Not even the New York Mets.
A hustling Blackmon was credited with an inside-the-park home run -- even though his shot actually went over the fence -- and the Colorado Rockies romped to a 13-4 victory Sunday that prevented a three-game sweep.
"That was a big one," manager Bud Black said .
Ian Desmond provided an instant spark in his return from the disabled list, and Nolan Arenado hit a three-run homer as Colorado routed Steven Matz and the Mets. Gerardo Parra also went deep to help the slumping Rockies win for only the sixth time in 21 games.
With a runner aboard in the seventh inning, Blackmon launched a drive that barely cleared the orange line atop the left-center wall and caromed back onto the grass. Umpires ruled the ball in play, but center fielder Curtis Granderson was well aware it was a home run. So he took his time picking up the ball, and leisurely tossed it toward the infield.
"I'm not going to run after a ball I know is over the fence," Granderson said.
Blackmon wasn't so sure. Waved home by third base coach Stu Cole, the two-time All-Star raced around the basepaths and scored uncontested.
"I didn't think it was going to go out," Blackmon said. "When I saw it bouncing around, I just assumed it hit the wall."
With no replay review necessary, Blackmon wound up with his second inside-the-park homer of the season. He said Parra told him he was "the only guy that ever hit two home runs in one at-bat."
DJ LeMahieu and Mark Reynolds each had four of Colorado's 18 hits to back rookie Jeff Hoffman (6-1), handed a huge early lead while pitching with family and friends in the stands.
Hoffman grew up about 160 miles north of Citi Field in Latham, New York, just shy of a three-hour drive away.
"It felt great," he said. "It's crazy whenever I come to the East Coast because a lot of my family doesn't get to see me, so it gets crowded real quick."
Colorado set season highs for runs, hits and extra-base hits (10). Despite their recent slide, the Rockies hold a 5 1/2-game lead for the second NL wild card.
"We just needed a win," Hoffman said. "Get us back to Denver with a good taste in our mouth."
After outscoring Colorado 23-5 in the first two games of the series, the Mets had a chance to make up some significant ground on the Rockies by completing a three-game sweep. Matz, however, quickly squandered the opportunity with the worst of his 35 major league starts.
The left-hander gave up a two-run single to Desmond with two outs in the first inning and a two-run double to Trevor Story. Colorado then opened the second with four straight hits to chase Matz (2-3), including Arenado's homer that made it 7-0.
"I was leaving balls right over the middle of the plate," said Matz, who allowed nine hits. "It's frustrating, but I've got to flush it."
Lucas Duda and Asdrubal Cabrera homered for New York, which fell 9 1/2 games behind the Rockies in the wild-card hunt. Time is running out on the Mets to make a playoff push before the July 31 trade deadline, when several veterans with expiring contracts could be shipped to contenders.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: RHP Tyler Chatwood was placed on the 10-day DL with a right calf strain. RHP Antonio Senzatela will be recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to start Tuesday against San Diego. ... The versatile Desmond was activated before the game and started in left field. He went 2 for 3 with a walk before being lifted for a pinch runner with Colorado leading 9-3 in the sixth. Desmond had been sidelined since July 3 with a strained right calf. ... Parra, who had three RBI, was shaken up after beating out a bunt single in the first but stayed in the game.
Mets: LF Yoenis Cespedes sat out with a sore left hip but is expected back in the lineup Monday night. ... RF Jay Bruce is probably due for a day off this week, manager Terry Collins said.
ROAD SHOW
Hoffman allowed four runs in six innings, improving to 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA in five starts away from home this season. He estimated about 30 or 40 friends and family members were on hand, including his parents, brother and fiancee. But he only left one ticket himself. "I let them fend for themselves because especially in a city like this, it can get expensive," Hoffman said.
FRESH ARM
After the game, the Mets recalled reliever Hansel Robles from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned fellow right-hander Chase Bradford to their top farm club.
UP NEXT
Rockies: Rookie RHP German Marquez (6-4, 4.36 ERA) starts against RHP Luis Perdomo (4-4, 4.54) and the Padres when Colorado begins a six-game homestand Monday night. Marquez gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings of an 8-5 loss at San Diego on June 2.
Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler (3-6, 4.86 ERA) faces RHP Adam Wainwright (10-5, 5.20) and the visiting Cardinals in the opener of a four-game series Monday night. Wheeler pitched well but lost at St. Louis in his most recent start July 8.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
A hustling Blackmon was credited with an inside-the-park home run -- even though his shot actually went over the fence -- and the Colorado Rockies romped to a 13-4 victory Sunday that prevented a three-game sweep.
"That was a big one," manager Bud Black said .
Ian Desmond provided an instant spark in his return from the disabled list, and Nolan Arenado hit a three-run homer as Colorado routed Steven Matz and the Mets. Gerardo Parra also went deep to help the slumping Rockies win for only the sixth time in 21 games.
With a runner aboard in the seventh inning, Blackmon launched a drive that barely cleared the orange line atop the left-center wall and caromed back onto the grass. Umpires ruled the ball in play, but center fielder Curtis Granderson was well aware it was a home run. So he took his time picking up the ball, and leisurely tossed it toward the infield.
"I'm not going to run after a ball I know is over the fence," Granderson said.
Blackmon wasn't so sure. Waved home by third base coach Stu Cole, the two-time All-Star raced around the basepaths and scored uncontested.
"I didn't think it was going to go out," Blackmon said. "When I saw it bouncing around, I just assumed it hit the wall."
With no replay review necessary, Blackmon wound up with his second inside-the-park homer of the season. He said Parra told him he was "the only guy that ever hit two home runs in one at-bat."
DJ LeMahieu and Mark Reynolds each had four of Colorado's 18 hits to back rookie Jeff Hoffman (6-1), handed a huge early lead while pitching with family and friends in the stands.
Hoffman grew up about 160 miles north of Citi Field in Latham, New York, just shy of a three-hour drive away.
"It felt great," he said. "It's crazy whenever I come to the East Coast because a lot of my family doesn't get to see me, so it gets crowded real quick."
Colorado set season highs for runs, hits and extra-base hits (10). Despite their recent slide, the Rockies hold a 5 1/2-game lead for the second NL wild card.
"We just needed a win," Hoffman said. "Get us back to Denver with a good taste in our mouth."
After outscoring Colorado 23-5 in the first two games of the series, the Mets had a chance to make up some significant ground on the Rockies by completing a three-game sweep. Matz, however, quickly squandered the opportunity with the worst of his 35 major league starts.
The left-hander gave up a two-run single to Desmond with two outs in the first inning and a two-run double to Trevor Story. Colorado then opened the second with four straight hits to chase Matz (2-3), including Arenado's homer that made it 7-0.
"I was leaving balls right over the middle of the plate," said Matz, who allowed nine hits. "It's frustrating, but I've got to flush it."
Lucas Duda and Asdrubal Cabrera homered for New York, which fell 9 1/2 games behind the Rockies in the wild-card hunt. Time is running out on the Mets to make a playoff push before the July 31 trade deadline, when several veterans with expiring contracts could be shipped to contenders.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: RHP Tyler Chatwood was placed on the 10-day DL with a right calf strain. RHP Antonio Senzatela will be recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to start Tuesday against San Diego. ... The versatile Desmond was activated before the game and started in left field. He went 2 for 3 with a walk before being lifted for a pinch runner with Colorado leading 9-3 in the sixth. Desmond had been sidelined since July 3 with a strained right calf. ... Parra, who had three RBI, was shaken up after beating out a bunt single in the first but stayed in the game.
Mets: LF Yoenis Cespedes sat out with a sore left hip but is expected back in the lineup Monday night. ... RF Jay Bruce is probably due for a day off this week, manager Terry Collins said.
ROAD SHOW
Hoffman allowed four runs in six innings, improving to 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA in five starts away from home this season. He estimated about 30 or 40 friends and family members were on hand, including his parents, brother and fiancee. But he only left one ticket himself. "I let them fend for themselves because especially in a city like this, it can get expensive," Hoffman said.
FRESH ARM
After the game, the Mets recalled reliever Hansel Robles from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned fellow right-hander Chase Bradford to their top farm club.
UP NEXT
Rockies: Rookie RHP German Marquez (6-4, 4.36 ERA) starts against RHP Luis Perdomo (4-4, 4.54) and the Padres when Colorado begins a six-game homestand Monday night. Marquez gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings of an 8-5 loss at San Diego on June 2.
Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler (3-6, 4.86 ERA) faces RHP Adam Wainwright (10-5, 5.20) and the visiting Cardinals in the opener of a four-game series Monday night. Wheeler pitched well but lost at St. Louis in his most recent start July 8.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Colorado - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Steven Matz pitching for New York | COL | NYM |
| Blackmon struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| LeMahieu singled to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Arenado fouled out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| Reynolds doubled to deep left, LeMahieu to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Desmond singled to right, LeMahieu and Reynolds scored. | 2 | 0 |
| Parra reached on bunt single to third, Desmond to second, Desmond to third, Parra to second on throwing error by third baseman T.J. Rivera. | 2 | 0 |
| Story doubled to left, Desmond and Parra scored. | 4 | 0 |
| Hanigan intentionally walked. | 4 | 0 |
| Hoffman struck out looking. | 4 | 0 |
| 4 Runs, 5 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Jeff Hoffman pitching for Colorado | COL | NYM |
| Granderson hit by pitch. | 4 | 0 |
| Cabrera flied out to center. | 4 | 0 |
| Conforto grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Granderson out at second. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Steven Matz pitching for New York | COL | NYM |
| Blackmon doubled to right. | 4 | 0 |
| LeMahieu singled to right, Blackmon to third. | 4 | 0 |
| Arenado homered to center (419 feet), Blackmon and LeMahieu scored. | 7 | 0 |
| Reynolds singled to right center. | 7 | 0 |
| Goeddel relieved Matz. | 7 | 0 |
| Reynolds to second on wild pitch by Goeddel. | 7 | 0 |
| Desmond struck out swinging. | 7 | 0 |
| Parra grounded out to first, Reynolds to third. | 7 | 0 |
| Story struck out swinging. | 7 | 0 |
| 3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Jeff Hoffman pitching for Colorado | COL | NYM |
| Bruce doubled to deep right. | 7 | 0 |
| T.J. Rivera popped out to second. | 7 | 0 |
| Duda fouled out to left. | 7 | 0 |
| Reyes flied out to left. | 7 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Erik Goeddel pitching for New York | COL | NYM |
| Hanigan grounded out to shortstop. | 7 | 0 |
| Hoffman struck out swinging. | 7 | 0 |
| Blackmon popped out to shortstop. | 7 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Jeff Hoffman pitching for Colorado | COL | NYM |
| R. Rivera singled to right. | 7 | 0 |
| Flores hit for Goeddel. | 7 | 0 |
| Flores singled to center, R. Rivera to second. | 7 | 0 |
| Granderson flied out to right. | 7 | 0 |
| Cabrera struck out swinging. | 7 | 0 |
| Conforto struck out looking. | 7 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Fernando Salas pitching for New York | COL | NYM |
| Salas relieved Goeddel. | 7 | 0 |
| LeMahieu doubled to deep right center. | 7 | 0 |
| Arenado grounded out to third. | 7 | 0 |
| LeMahieu stole third. | 7 | 0 |
| Reynolds singled to left, LeMahieu scored. | 8 | 0 |
| Desmond doubled to shallow left, Reynolds to third. | 8 | 0 |
| Parra hit sacrifice fly to center, Reynolds scored, Desmond to third. | 9 | 0 |
| Story flied out to right. | 9 | 0 |
| 2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Jeff Hoffman pitching for Colorado | COL | NYM |
| Bruce flied out to left. | 9 | 0 |
| T.J. Rivera grounded out to third. | 9 | 0 |
| Duda homered to right (434 feet). | 9 | 1 |
| Reyes flied out to right. | 9 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Fernando Salas pitching for New York | COL | NYM |
| Hanigan flied out to right. | 9 | 1 |
| Hoffman struck out swinging. | 9 | 1 |
| Blackmon grounded out to second. | 9 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Jeff Hoffman pitching for Colorado | COL | NYM |
| R. Rivera walked. | 9 | 1 |
| deGrom hit for Salas. | 9 | 1 |
| deGrom struck out looking. | 9 | 1 |
| Granderson lined out to right. | 9 | 1 |
| Cabrera homered to right (402 feet), R. Rivera scored. | 9 | 3 |
| Conforto lined out to right. | 9 | 3 |
| 2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Chasen Bradford pitching for New York | COL | NYM |
| Bradford relieved Salas. | 9 | 3 |
| LeMahieu doubled to deep center. | 9 | 3 |
| Arenado struck out swinging. | 9 | 3 |
| Reynolds flied out to center. | 9 | 3 |
| LeMahieu to third on wild pitch by Bradford. | 9 | 3 |
| Desmond walked. | 9 | 3 |
| Tapia ran for Desmond. | 9 | 3 |
| Parra grounded out to first. | 9 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Jeff Hoffman pitching for Colorado | COL | NYM |
| Tapia in left field. | 9 | 3 |
| Bruce singled to right. | 9 | 3 |
| T.J. Rivera singled to right center, Bruce to second. | 9 | 3 |
| Duda flied out to center, Bruce to third. | 9 | 3 |
| Reyes hit sacrifice fly to center, Bruce scored. | 9 | 4 |
| R. Rivera flied out to right. | 9 | 4 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Chasen Bradford pitching for New York | COL | NYM |
| Story singled to right. | 9 | 4 |
| Hanigan struck out swinging. | 9 | 4 |
| González hit for Hoffman. | 9 | 4 |
| González struck out swinging. | 9 | 4 |
| Blackmon inside-the-park home run to deep center (401 feet), Story scored. | 11 | 4 |
| LeMahieu lined out to left. | 11 | 4 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Scott Oberg pitching for Colorado | COL | NYM |
| Oberg relieved Hoffman. | 11 | 4 |
| Reynolds hit for Bradford. | 11 | 4 |
| Reynolds struck out swinging. | 11 | 4 |
| Granderson lined out to third. | 11 | 4 |
| Cabrera flied out to center. | 11 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Neil Ramirez pitching for New York | COL | NYM |
| T.J. Rivera at second base. | 11 | 4 |
| Reynolds at third base. | 11 | 4 |
| Ramírez relieved Bradford. | 11 | 4 |
| Arenado popped out to second. | 11 | 4 |
| Reynolds reached on infield single to second. | 11 | 4 |
| Tapia popped out to shortstop. | 11 | 4 |
| Parra homered to right (392 feet), Reynolds scored. | 13 | 4 |
| Story safe at first on error by first baseman Duda. | 13 | 4 |
| Hanigan walked, Story to second. | 13 | 4 |
| Amarista hit for Oberg. | 13 | 4 |
| Story to third, Hanigan to second on passed ball by R. Rivera. | 13 | 4 |
| Amarista walked. | 13 | 4 |
| Blackmon struck out swinging. | 13 | 4 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Mike Dunn pitching for Colorado | COL | NYM |
| Amarista in center field. | 13 | 4 |
| Dunn relieved Oberg. | 13 | 4 |
| Conforto grounded out to pitcher. | 13 | 4 |
| Bruce struck out swinging. | 13 | 4 |
| T.J. Rivera lined out to left. | 13 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Neil Ramirez pitching for New York | COL | NYM |
| LeMahieu grounded out to pitcher. | 13 | 4 |
| Arenado doubled to deep left. | 13 | 4 |
| Reynolds popped out to pitcher. | 13 | 4 |
| Tapia flied out to left. | 13 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Mike Dunn pitching for Colorado | COL | NYM |
| Valaika at second base. | 13 | 4 |
| Rosscup relieved Dunn. | 13 | 4 |
| Duda flied out to left. | 13 | 4 |
| Reyes reached on infield single to third. | 13 | 4 |
| R. Rivera flied out to center. | 13 | 4 |
| Reynolds struck out swinging. | 13 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado Rockies | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Blackmon CF | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 20 | .320 | .372 | .593 |
Dunn P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Valaika 2B
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .234 | .259 | .495 |
| LeMahieu 2B | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | .315 | .371 | .401 |
Rosscup P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Arenado 3B | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 25 | .305 | .353 | .563 |
| Reynolds 1B | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | .287 | .378 | .511 |
| Desmond LF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 16 | .288 | .328 | .396 |
Tapia PR-LF
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .314 | .369 | .480 |
| Parra RF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | .337 | .357 | .512 |
| Story SS | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 | .226 | .302 | .398 |
| Hanigan C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15 | .222 | .279 | .317 |
| Hoffman P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | .120 | .120 | .160 |
a-González PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .214 | .293 | .328 |
Oberg P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
b-Amarista PH-CF
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | .250 | .276 | .366 |
| Totals | 45 | 13 | 18 | 13 | 4 | 10 | 185 | |||
| a-struck out swinging for J Hoffman in the 7th b-walked for S Oberg in the 8th | ||||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Reynolds (12, Matz); Story (13, Matz); Blackmon (19, Matz); LeMahieu 2 (16, Salas, Bradford); Desmond (7, Salas); Arenado (30, Ramírez) HR: Arenado (18, 2nd inning off Matz 2 on, 0 Out); Blackmon (21, 7th inning off Bradford 1 on, 2 Out); Parra (7, 8th inning off Ramírez 1 on, 2 Out) RBI: Desmond 2 (28), Story 2 (37), Arenado 3 (73), Reynolds (62), Parra 3 (38), Blackmon 2 (64) SF: Parra 2-out RBI: Desmond 2, Story 2, Blackmon 2, Parra 2 Rockies RISP: 5-17 (Desmond 1-2, Story 1-3, LeMahieu 1-1, Parra 0-2, Reynolds 1-3, Blackmon 0-1, Arenado 1-3, Tapia 0-1, Hoffman 0-1) Team LOB: 10 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING SB: LeMahieu (5, 3rd base off Salas/R. Rivera) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 1 (LeMahieu-Story-Reynolds). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Citi Field, New York, NY |
| Attendance | 28,745 (68.6% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:26 |
| Weather | 84 degrees, partly cloudy |
| Wind | 5 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Bruce Dreckman, First Base - Chris Segal, Second Base - Mike Everitt, Third Base - Jordan Baker |
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