McCarthy Grand Slam Lifts Rockies Past Mets After Kimbrel’s Rough Eighth Inning

The New York Mets appeared to be in control early on Thursday night at Coors Field, building a 2-0 lead over the Colorado Rockies behind timely situational hitting. A sacrifice fly from Andy Ibáñez opened the scoring, followed by an RBI single from Tyrone Taylor that gave New York early momentum.

For much of the early innings, the Mets’ pitching staff held that advantage, keeping Colorado’s offense quiet while maintaining a comfortable cushion. The game, however, began to shift as the Rockies slowly found rhythm at the plate.

Colorado eventually erased the deficit, setting the stage for a late-inning swing in momentum that dramatically altered the outcome. What began as a controlled Mets performance unraveled quickly once the Rockies’ lineup broke through.

The turning point came in the late innings, where one sequence of at-bats ultimately decided the game and snapped New York’s brief winning streak.

1. Rockies Rally to Erase Early Deficit

The Rockies began their comeback by steadily chipping away at New York’s lead, first tying the game through consistent contact and situational hitting. Their approach forced the Mets’ pitching staff into increasingly high-pressure situations. Jake McCarthy played a central role in the rally, delivering an RBI double that evened the score and shifted momentum firmly toward Colorado. His at-bat marked the beginning of sustained pressure on the Mets’ bullpen. With the game now tied, Colorado’s offense continued to apply pressure, taking advantage of opportunities as they arose. The Mets’ early advantage had fully disappeared, and the contest reset into a tight late-game battle. As both teams entered the later innings, the Rockies carried growing confidence at the plate while New York searched for stability on the mound.

2. Kimbrel’s Eighth Inning Unravels

The decisive moment arrived in the eighth inning when Craig Kimbrel took the mound for the Mets in a tied game. What followed quickly swung the outcome in Colorado’s favor. Kimbrel believed he had recorded a key strikeout against Willi Castro earlier in the inning, but a disputed check swing call instead resulted in a walk. That decision extended the inning and created additional pressure with runners on base. The missed opportunity proved costly, as McCarthy stepped to the plate later in the frame and capitalized with a grand slam that broke the game open. The blast gave Colorado a commanding 6-2 lead. Kimbrel later pointed to the sequence as a turning point, suggesting that the check swing ruling altered the inning’s trajectory and contributed to the eventual grand slam.

3. Mets Fall Short as Struggles Continue

The Mets were unable to recover after the Rockies’ decisive eighth inning, ultimately falling 6-2 and missing a chance to complete a series sweep. The loss ended New York’s three-game winning streak. At 14-23 through 37 games, the Mets continue to search for consistency in both pitching and run production. Despite flashes of strong play, extended struggles have prevented sustained momentum. Colorado’s win brought its record to 15-23, offering a rare positive result in a season that has also featured inconsistency. The victory highlighted the impact of timely hitting and bullpen execution in close games. New York now shifts its focus to a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, hoping to regroup after a disappointing finish in Denver.