Francisco Lindor hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to break a tie, Jesse Winker had three hits, and the New York Mets defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Wednesday night.
With the game tied 2-2 in the ninth, Lindor’s single to left field off Colorado’s Victor Vodnik (3-2) scored Harrison Bader and Ben Gamel, giving the Mets the lead. Bader was pinch-running for Francisco Alvarez, who had earlier hit a triple off the out-of-town scoreboard in right field with one out. Gamel and Tyrone Taylor walked to load the bases for Lindor.
“Bases loaded, he has to throw strikes,” Lindor said. “Yesterday he got me out, today it was my turn. That’s baseball.”
“I was trying to be a little too fine and got behind in counts and let it get away from me,” Vodnik said, who was making his sixth appearance in 11 days.
Winker added a single with two outs to drive in Taylor for a 5-2 lead. The Mets collected 11 hits, with 10 of them being singles.
“For Lindor to come through there, to make that adjustment and go the other way,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
“Not trying to get too big. Not trying to do too much. Taking what’s given and using the whole field, especially in a ballpark like this, when you probably are going to try to go for the seats.”
Ezequiel Tovar homered in the first inning for the Rockies, who have hit 72 home runs since June 15. Atlanta leads the majors with 73 in that span, and the Mets are third with 71.
Jose Butto (5-3) allowed one hit and struck out two in two scoreless innings to earn the win. Edwin Diaz pitched the ninth inning for his 14th save in 19 chances, allowing a triple by Michael Toglia and an RBI groundout before getting the final out.
The Mets have split the first two games of the series and have lost only one of their last nine series as they compete for a wild card spot.
“We put ourselves in this position,” Lindor said. “We gave ourselves a chance to compete for the playoffs. Winning keeps our chances up. It feels great. We have to find a way to play the game a little bit better and win as many games as we can.”
Paul Blackburn made his second solid start for the Mets since being traded from Oakland at the deadline. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits, struck out six, and walked two.
He had previously given up one run in six innings during a 5-2 win against the Los Angeles Angels in his debut for New York on Friday.
“I wouldn’t say changing leagues but changing teams, especially with where this team is at right now,” Blackburn said about adjusting after the trade. “Just being able to come in and show I can contribute in any way possible.
The team in general in here is unbelievable. It is big name after big name after big name. I’m just trying to keep my head down, go out there and attack guys and put us in the best situation to win.”
The Mets scored in the first two innings. Lindor singled, stole second base, and scored on Pete Alonso’s two-out single for a 1-0 lead off Ryan Feltner in the first inning. Noah Davis replaced Feltner at the start of the second inning after experiencing posterior shoulder soreness.
Tovar hit his 19th homer in the first inning to tie the game at 1-1. The Mets then added to their lead in the second inning with singles from Jose Iglesias, Gamel, and Taylor, plus a fielding error by center fielder Brenton Doyle, giving them a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth inning, Colorado’s Brendan Rodgers doubled, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on Kris Bryant’s infield single, tying the game at 2-2.
