Cave homers, Díaz has 2 hits and 2 RBIs to lift the Rockies to a 6-3 win over the Mets

By JACK MAGRUDER Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Jake Cave hit a home run, Elias Díaz had two hits and two RBIs, and the Colorado Rockies beat the New York Mets 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Cave hit a two-out, two-run homer off Luis Severino (7-5) to cap a three-run fourth inning and Díaz singled in an insurance run in the eighth. Cave’s opposite-field homer, measured at 372 feet, just got over the fence in left.

“Obviously, the ball that Cave hit, you can make a case that it is a ball that probably goes out only in this ballpark,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “But he got to it on a fastball up.”

Cave has five homers, all since July 4 and four in last 60 at-bats. Four of the five have tied a game or given the Rockies a lead.

“He’s doing his part, for sure,” Colorado manager Bud Black said.

Harrison Bader had a two-run single and Brandon Nimmo had two hits and an RBI for the Mets, who have lost four of six and were playing their third game in three days at three different sites. The Mets lost at the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday before winning in St. Louis on Monday in the makeup of a May 8 rainout.

The game was delayed nine minutes by a heavy rain in the fifth inning and the teams played through a brief shower in the sixth.

Severino gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits in five innings, striking out five with a fastball that sat at 98 mph. He has given up 25 earned runs in his last 38 1/3 innings over seven starts.

“It was good to see him strong again today,” Mendoza said.

Justin Lawrence (4-4), the first of four Colorado relievers, pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Victor Vodnik pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth for his sixth save in eight chances. The bullpen threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings.

“This breeds confidence when you have a game like this,” Black said.

Colorado starter Kyle Freeland gave up three runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings before being removed because of a blister on his left index finger after giving up Nimmo’s two-out RBI single. Freeland, who struck out seven, said the blister formed in the fourth inning and he popped it before the fifth.

“It ended up really blowing up in the fifth,” Freeland said. “Unfortunately it was on a pitch I use a lot, a curveball. Kind of losing feeling in that area. Kind of had to make a decision.”

Bader’s two-out, two-run single off the glove off leaping shortstop Ezequiel Tovar gave the Mets a 2-0 lead in the second.

The Rockies scored an unearned run in the second after a pair of Mets errors. Center fielder Bader overthrew second and the ball rolled toward the Mets’ dugout. Third baseman Mark Vientos stopped the ball but lost control on the transfer, it dropped into the dugout and Brendan Rodgers was awarded home.

Díaz’s double into the right field corner drove in Rodgers to tie it at 2-2 in the fourth, and Cave followed with his homer. Rodgers doubled off Vientos’ glove to drive in a run for a 5-3 lead in the fifth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: OF Starling Marte (knee) is to begin a rehab assignment Wednesday with Class-A Port St. Lucie. He has been out since June 22. … RHP Reed Garrett (elbow) struck out three while pitching one scoreless inning in a rehab game for Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday. … RHP Sean Reid-Foley (shoulder) is scheduled to pitch one inning at Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday. … RHP Dedniel Núñez (forearm strain) played catch at 90 feet Tuesday and could make a bullpen appearance this weekend.

Rockies: LHP Chasen Shreve was purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque and RHP John Curtiss was designated for assignment. … OF Nolan Jones (back strain) paused his rehab assignment for the birth of his first child last weekend. He is to resume at Class A Fresno. … RHP Antonio Senzatela (Tommy John) is to pitch in an Arizona Complex League game Thursday, first appearance since his July 2023 surgery … LHP Lucas Gilbreath (Tommy John) is scheduled to pitch for Albuquerque on Wednesday.

NEXT UP

Mets RHP Paul Blackburn (5-2, 4.11 ERA) is to oppose Colorado RHP Ryan Feltner (1-10, 4.97).