Jacob deGrom fans 14, Mets rally to beat Rockies

Jacob deGrom struck out 14 in six strong innings, Pete Alonso homered, and the visiting New York Mets rallied to beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.

Michael Conforto had two hits for the Mets, who were playing for the first time since Wednesday due to back-to-back postponements.

Raimel Tapia homered for the Rockies, who have lost seven straight.

The right-handed deGrom (1-1) struck out nine in a row from the start of the second through the fourth and finished one shy of the major league record set by former Mets great Tom Seaver against the San Diego Padres in 1970. The streak was snapped when Josh Fuentes grounded up the middle to lead off the bottom of the fifth and second baseman Jeff McNeil’s throw to first was wild.

DeGrom didn’t allow an earned run and dropped his ERA to 0.45.

New York trailed 3-2 entering the seventh but rallied against closer Daniel Bard (0-1). James McCann led off with a single and pinch hitter Jonathan Villar doubled home pinch-runner Albert Almora. Francisco Lindor then singled to drive in Villar with the go-ahead run.

Edwin Diaz got the last three outs for his first save.

The Mets took the lead in the third when deGrom singled, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and groundout and scored on Alonso’s single to center to make it 1-0.

Conforto and J.D. Davis led off the fourth with consecutive singles, but starter Chi Chi Gonzalez got a double-play ball and a groundout to get out of it.

Gonzalez allowed one run on six hits and struck out three in five innings.

The Rockies rallied after McNeil’s error on Fuentes’ grounder. After Sam Hilliard struck out, Dom Nunez tripled off the wall in right to tie it. Yonathan Daza lined out to right to drive in Nunez, and Tapia followed with a homer just inside the foul pole in right to make it 3-1.

Alonso led off the sixth with his second homer of the season off Mychal Givens to make it 3-2.

–Field Level Media