NEW YORK — Jose Iglesias and Harrison Bader each hit two of New York’s top five home runs of the season, and the surging Mets defeated the last-place Colorado Rockies 7-6 on Friday night.
Mark Vientos also went deep and notched an RBI double as the Mets (48-45) improved to 4-0 in a six-game homestand against the struggling Nationals and Rockies before the All-Star break. New York has won six of seven overall, improving to 24-10 since being 11 games under .500 on June 2.
Sean Manaea (6-3) threw 74 of his season-high 107 pitches for strikes in seven effective innings, striking out nine to win his third straight decision. He handed a 7-3 lead to New York’s shaky bullpen, which barely held on.
Charlie Blackmon singled against Jake Diekman to start the eighth, and Brenton Doyle cut it to 7-6 with a two-run shot against Phil Maton.
In the meantime, Iglesias left his feet at third base to catch Elias Díaz’s 179.4 mph line drive, which got stuck in the screen of his glove.
Edwin Díaz finally closed the door, turning around two consecutive hits in a hitless ninth for his 10th save in 15 attempts. With two runners aboard, he struck out Ezequiel Tovar to end it.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was ejected by umpire Jeremie Rehak after a frustrated Iglesias was called for hitting in the seventh.
Iglesias, 34, a surprising spark plug for the Mets since calling him up from the minors on May 31, threw solo pitches in the second and fifth for his first career multi-homer game.
Bader hit a solo shot in the second and a two-run shot in the fourth against rookie Tanner Gordon (0-2), who gave up four long balls in his second major league start. The right-hander allowed six runs and eight hits in three-plus innings.
Vientos and Iglesias hit back-to-back homers in the second, the fourth time the Mets have taken turns this season. Bader’s hit, one batter later, gave New York three home runs in one inning for the first time since July 1, 2023, against San Francisco.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: RHP Germán Márquez threw a bullpen session and is scheduled to begin Sunday upon his return from Tommy John surgery. Márquez has not pitched in the majors since April 26, 2023. … 1B/OF Kris Bryant (bruised left rib) took batting practice indoors and increased the intensity of his strength and conditioning training. He is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment next Friday, right after the All-Star break. … Blackmon returned to the lineup as DH after missing three games with a sore right hamstring. … LF Nolan Jones (back tightness) was eliminated from the original lineup and replaced by Sam Hilliard.
Mets: RHP Sean Reid-Foley (shoulder impingement) will throw a bullpen Saturday. … RHP Shintaro Fujinami (shoulder strain) is scheduled to pitch in the minors again on Sunday. “Maybe a few more and then we’ll see where we are,” Mendoza said.
NEXT
Still looking for his first major league win, Mets rookie RHP Christian Scott (0-2, 4.15 ERA) makes his eighth career start Saturday in the middle of the series. RHP Ryan Feltner (1-8, 5.29) goes to the Rockies.
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