DENVER — For a second straight game, Terry Collins found himself at odds with an umpire for making a game-changing judgment call.
But this time, instead of an ejection, the Mets manager hardly said a word. He listened to the explanation, slumped his shoulders, and shook his head as he retreated to the dugout.
The Rockies completed a three-game sweep of the Mets with a 4-3 win on Sunday, aided by an eighth-inning ruling that snuffed out a rally. Umpires ruled that Juan Lagares deviated from the base paths to avoid a tag by third baseman Nolan Arenado. It became the start of a double play that ended the inning.
It was a final twist of the knife for the weary Mets, who had led 3-2 in the seventh until Ryan Raburn’s two-run, pinch-hit home run off Jim Henderson, who was facing his first batter after relieving Jacob deGrom.
The Mets (21-16) have dropped four straight and five of their last six. They return to Citi Field for the start of a three-game set against the first-place Nationals on Tuesday. The biggest series of the season thus far will come after a lackluster 4-7 West Coast swing.
Lagares delivered a pinch-hit, one-out double in the eighth and Yoenis Cespedes, who homered earlier, was given an intentional walk so that lefty Boone Logan could face Lucas Duda.
Duda hit a cue-shot grounder to Arenado at third. Lagares sidestepped the tag attempt but remained on the dirt before the throw across to get Duda.
But second-base umpire Rob Drake ruled that Lagares had left the base path.
The Mets got the tying run on base in the ninth against Jake McGee when Eric Campbell singled to left with two outs, bringing up pinch hitter David Wright. But Wright bounced into a force.
DeGrom allowed three runs and four hits in 6 1⁄3 innings. He struck out three and walked three. Henderson (0-2) was charged with the loss.
..... - Newsday