NEW YORK (AP) With four wins in five days, the New York Mets are riding some momentum into the Subway Series.
Noah Syndergaard allowed one hit over seven shutout innings, Todd Frazier homered and drove in four runs, and the Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 6-1 on Sunday for their 13th victory in 16 home games.
Next stop, a trip to the Bronx for the first two matchups this season with the crosstown-rival New York Yankees.
”I’m stoked for it,” rookie slugger Pete Alonso said.
Nolan Arenado grounded a leadoff single through the right side in the second for Colorado’s only hit until David Dahl doubled home a run with two outs in the ninth. Second baseman Adeiny Hechavarria ranged to his left and deflected Arenado’s grounder as he tried to make a sliding play, but was unable to come up with the ball.
That was all the Rockies mustered against Syndergaard (4-4).
”He was on. Fastball is 98, 99 with movement. We were late on that and then we try to kind of cheat to it or get to it and he throws the changeup or the curveball,” Dahl said. ”He had everything working.”
And he was pitching with a lead.
Frazier hit a three-run homer to left field in the first inning, tossing his lumber aside for flair.
”Yeah, that was one of those that you don’t feel off the bat. One of those no-doubters,” he said. ”I was excited.”
New York has homered in 16 straight home games, setting a club record.
Frazier added an RBI double in the fifth off Jeff Hoffman (1-3).
”It’s hard to put a number on how valuable he is to this team,” Syndergaard said. ”Just from a talent perspective to a leadership perspective, the energy that he brings day in and day out. It’s really a blessing to be his teammate.”
Carlos Gomez had a two-out RBI single in the fourth after Hechavarria swiped second, one of a season-best three stolen bases by the Mets – equaling their total from the previous 15 games.
J.D. Davis chased Hoffman with his first career triple in the fifth, knocking in a run with a drive that eluded a diving Dahl in center field following a poor route.
Making his 100th major league start, Syndergaard struck out seven and walked two for his first win in five outings since May 14.
”He was on cruise control ever since the first inning,” Frazier said.
Up and down during a disappointing season, Syndergaard was coming off three consecutive no-decisions. But he was finally at his fearsome best Sunday.
”He dominated,” Davis said. ”It was pretty cool to watch.”
Syndergaard credited second-string catcher Tomas Nido and a mechanical tweak that made his four-seam fastball more deceptive.
”This is an encouraging outing, because that’s a really good team over there,” the right-hander said.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway said Syndergaard was tired after throwing 98 pitches because he kept hustling to cover first base on grounders to the right side.
”Yeah, I got my sprints in today,” the pitcher said.
Jeurys Familia and Hector Santiago finished a two-hitter that took a tidy 2 hours, 32 minutes. New York won two of three against the Rockies to complete a 4-2 homestand.
Colorado won 10 of 12 before dropping the final two games of the series.
”This one’s on me. I didn’t get off to a great start,” said Hoffman, who grew up in Latham, New York, and had about 15 family members and friends in attendance. ”Maybe if I throw up a zero in that first inning, things are different. But I started slow and maybe some of that rubbed off on the offense.”
KINGS IN QUEENS
New York (32-33) has won five straight home series and is 19-11 at Citi Field.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: 2B Robinson Cano went back on the 10-day injured list with tightness in his left quadriceps, four days after returning to the lineup. The move is retroactive to Thursday, after Cano aggravated the injury Wednesday night in his first game since May 22. Right-handed reliever Tim Peterson was called up from Triple-A Syracuse. Cano said he’s scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Syracuse or Double-A Binghamton. … LF-INF Jeff McNeil received a scheduled rest.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP German Marquez (6-3, 4.07 ERA) pitches Monday night at home against RHP Yu Darvish (2-3, 4.88) and the Chicago Cubs. Marquez was tagged by the Cubs for eight runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings in a 9-8 loss Wednesday at Wrigley Field. Colorado has won 10 of his 14 starts this season and 13 of his past 16 at Coors Field since June 2018.
Mets: Jason Vargas (2-3, 3.57 ERA) starts the Subway Series opener Monday night in the Bronx – weather permitting – against Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (3-5, 3.42). Rain is in the forecast. Vargas pitched his first shutout in two years Wednesday against San Francisco. He struck out a season-high eight and threw 117 pitches, his most in five years. The 36-year-old lefty has a 1.85 ERA in his last seven starts, but he’s 0-7 with a 6.84 ERA against the Yankees.
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