Mark Vientos Went Yard Twice and the Mets Finally Found Their Road Groove

The Mets needed something to break their way, and it finally happened. After a brutal 10-21 start that had everyone in New York questioning everything, they just took two of three from the Los Angeles Angels on the road. That's their first road series win since early April when they swept the San Francisco Giants in a four-game set. Now they're heading to Denver to face the Colorado Rockies on Monday, and for the first time in weeks, there's actual momentum to build on.

Vientos Delivers When the Offense Was Gasping for Air

The Mets' bats have been a disaster. New York has scored just 118 runs, second fewest in all of baseball. Only the Giants have been worse at 106. That changes the equation when Mark Vientos steps into the box and smashes a pair of two-run homers in Sunday's 5-1 win. That's the kind of performance a team fighting to stay alive needs to see.

"I think that's the name of the game, putting yesterday in the past," Vientos said after the game. "We have to focus on the right now." Manager Carlos Mendoza echoed that sentiment, emphasizing what needs to happen next: "That's our goal, to start winning series. That's what it's going to take for us to get to where we want to be. One series at a time, one game at a time."

Peterson Takes the Ball in His Hometown, But Colorado's No Pushover

The Mets are deploying an opener on Monday before David Peterson takes over. The struggling left-hander has been a liability, failing to get out of the fourth inning in each of his last three starts. He carries a 0-4 record with a 6.53 ERA. Last time out against Washington, he surrendered seven runs on five hits in 3 2/3 frames during a 14-2 loss. Peterson is a Denver native facing his hometown team for the fifth time, though he's posted solid numbers in the past going 3-1 with a 1.99 ERA in his first four matchups.

The Rockies are reeling, dropping five of their last six after sweeping the Mets back on April 24-26. They got absolutely shelled by Atlanta over the weekend, allowing 28 runs across a three-game sweep. Colorado will counter with offseason addition Tomoyuki Sugano, who's been their bright spot at 3-1 with a 2.84 ERA. Sugano threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings against Cincinnati last Wednesday in a 13-2 win, striking out two. Manager Warren Schaeffer raved about the performance: "He set the tone, kept them off-balanced, relied on his offspeed pitches. He was really good, efficient, just like he's been all year." The game was moved up three hours due to bad weather rolling into Denver.

First pitch Monday could set the tone for both teams heading forward. The Mets smell a chance to build on something real. Don't sleep on it.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.