The Colorado Rockies snatched a victory from the New York Mets and did so in a fashion that the final score, 18-9, doesn't provide the justice of what actually happened in the game. See, the Mets had nine runs on 17 hits and saw Scott Hairston hit for the cycle ... and still lost. But let's back track for a minute.
The Rockies held a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning, but Hairston hit a home run off starter Drew Pomeranz to tie the game. When the Rockies came out for the top of the fifth inning, but Pomeranz was out of the game with left forearm stiffness. Esmil Rogers came in an allowed four runs, including a Hairston triple. By the end of that half of the inning, the Rockies were in a 6-2 deficit.
And that's when the Rockies struck for 11 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Eric Young Jr. started it all when he hustled on a comebacker to pitcher Chris Schwinden and reached on throwing error to first base. Young wound up stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error by catcher Mike Nickeas. Marco Scutaro walked and advanced to second on Jonathan Herrera's RBI single.
Carlos Gonzalez blasted a three-run home run to center field to tie the game at 6-6. After Ramon Hernandez drove in a run on a fielder's choice and another error had men on second and third, Dexter Fowler continued the scoring with a three-run home run of his own.
But the bases weren't clear for long after that: Young walk and moved to third on Scutaro's single while Jonathan Herrera's hit by pitch loaded the bases again. Gonzalez, already with an RBI ground out and the home run, singled in two more runs for six RBI in the game, five in the inning. Yet, the bases were cleared of all previous runners after that because first baseman Zach Lutz committed a throwing error to the catcher, allowing Jonathan Herrera, who would have been out if not for the error, to score the 11th run of the inning for a 13-6 lead.
Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton ended the inning with back-to-back outs.
The Mets battled back in the top of the sixth inning as Scott Hairston, already with a single in the second inning and the triple and the home run, doubled in two runs to complete the cycle. Lucas Duda followed by driving in Hairston for the 13-9 deficit.
But in the bottom of the seventh, Todd Helton erased one of those runs the Mets scored with an RBI single to left center field. To cap things off, Ramon Hernandez came to the plate with the bases loaded and unloaded his bat for a grand slam and the 18-9 lead.
Matt Reynolds picked up the win for his one inning of effective relief (Pomeranz only made it through four innings and Esmil Rogers and Josh Roenicke combined to allow seven runs). Matt Belisle pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth.
The Rockies (10-9, 6-4 home) are back on the diamond Saturday night.
For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Mets blog Amazin' Avenue. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the league.