Mets Finally Found a Road Series Win and They're Coming for the Rockies

The New York Mets needed something to click. After stumbling out of the gate with a 10-21 record, they got exactly that this week, and now they're taking their momentum straight to Denver to take on a struggling Colorado Rockies team. The three-game set begins Monday, and for a Mets team desperately searching for answers, this feels like a moment that matters.

The Turning Point: Finally, a Road Series Win

New York just grabbed two wins out of three against the Los Angeles Angels, marking their first road series victory since taking down the San Francisco Giants back in early April. That's how bad things had gotten. One series win felt like a breakthrough.

Sunday's 5-1 victory against the Angels showed some real signs of life at the plate. Mark Vientos cranked a pair of two-run homers, exactly the kind of offensive pop the Mets desperately need. Here's the reality: New York's lineup has scored just 118 runs this season, the second fewest in all of baseball behind only the Giants' 106. That's not a championship formula.

"I think that's the name of the game, putting yesterday in the past," Vientos said. "We have to focus on the right now."

Manager Carlos Mendoza knows the blueprint now. "That's our goal, to start winning series," he said. "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 Gets Another Shot at His Hometown Rockies

The Mets plan to roll with an opener Monday before David Peterson takes over on the mound. Peterson has been a disaster this season, sitting at 0-4 with a 6.53 ERA. Worse, he hasn't been able to get out of the fourth inning in any of his last three starts. Just Wednesday, the 30-year-old Denver native got shelled by the Washington Nationals, surrendering seven runs on five hits in just 3 2/3 innings in a 14-2 loss.

But here's the thing: Peterson is facing his hometown team for the fifth time in his career, and he's been spectacular in those matchups. He's 3-1 with a 1.99 ERA against Colorado in his first four starts. This could be his chance to shine.

The Rockies Are Desperate for a Stopper

Colorado has won just one of its last six games since sweeping the Mets from April 24-26. Things got even worse over the weekend, when the Atlanta Braves absolutely demolished them across three games, allowing 28 runs in that sweep. The Rockies are reeling, and they need a gutsy performance from someone.

Enter Tomoyuki Sugano, the offseason addition the Rockies are turning to in the opener. Sugano comes in at 3-1 with a 2.84 ERA after tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts in Wednesday's 13-2 win over Cincinnati. Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer praised the approach. "He set the tone, kept them off-balanced, relied on his offspeed pitches," Schaeffer said. "He was really good, efficient, just like he's been all year."

The 36-year-old right-hander faced the Mets once last season while with Baltimore, giving up three runs in six frames in a 7-3 Colorado victory on July 10. The game Monday tips at an earlier time due to predicted weather.

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