Cave homers, Díaz has 2 hits and 2 RBIs to lift the Rockies to a 6-3 win over the Mets

DENVER (AP) — Jake Cave hit a home run, Elias Díaz had two hits and two RBIs, and the Colorado Rockies beat the New York Mets 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Cave hit a two-out, two-run homer off Luis Severino (7-5) to cap a three-run fourth inning and Díaz singled in an insurance run in the eighth. Cave's opposite-field homer, measured at 372 feet, just got over the fence in left.

“Obviously, the ball that Cave hit, you can make a case that it is a ball that probably goes out only in this ballpark," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “But he got to it on a fastball up.”

Cave has five homers, all since July 4 and four in last 60 at-bats. Four of the five have tied a game or given the Rockies a lead.

“He's doing his part, for sure,” Colorado manager Bud Black said.

Harrison Bader had a two-run single and Brandon Nimmo had two hits and an RBI for the Mets, who have lost four of six and were playing their third game in three days at three different sites. The Mets lost at the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday before winning in St. Louis on Monday in the makeup of a May 8 rainout.

The game was delayed nine minutes by a heavy rain in the fifth inning and the teams played through a brief shower in the sixth.

Severino gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits in five innings, striking out five with a fastball that sat at 98 mph. He has given up 25 earned runs in his last 38 1/3 innings over seven starts.

"It was good to see him strong again today,” Mendoza said.

Justin Lawrence (4-4), the first of four Colorado relievers, pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Victor Vodnik pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth for his sixth save in eight chances. The bullpen threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings.

“This breeds confidence when you have a game like this,” Black said.

Colorado starter Kyle Freeland gave up three runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings before being removed because of a blister on his left index finger after giving up Nimmo’s two-out RBI single. Freeland, who struck out seven, said the blister formed in the fourth inning and he popped it before the fifth.

“It ended up really blowing up in the fifth," Freeland said. “Unfortunately it was on a pitch I use a lot, a curveball. Kind of losing feeling in that area. Kind of had to make a decision.”

Bader’s two-out, two-run single off the glove off leaping shortstop Ezequiel Tovar gave the Mets a 2-0 lead in the second.

The Rockies scored an unearned run in the second after a pair of Mets errors. Center fielder Bader overthrew second and the ball rolled toward the Mets’ dugout. Third baseman Mark Vientos stopped the ball but lost control on the transfer, it dropped into the dugout and Brendan Rodgers was awarded home.

Díaz’s double into the right field corner drove in Rodgers to tie it at 2-2 in the fourth, and Cave followed with his homer. Rodgers doubled off Vientos' glove to drive in a run for a 5-3 lead in the fifth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: OF Starling Marte (knee) is to begin a rehab assignment Wednesday with Class-A Port St. Lucie. He has been out since June 22. … RHP Reed Garrett (elbow) struck out three while pitching one scoreless inning in a rehab game for Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday. … RHP Sean Reid-Foley (shoulder) is scheduled to pitch one inning at Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday. … RHP Dedniel Núñez (forearm strain) played catch at 90 feet Tuesday and could make a bullpen appearance this weekend.

Rockies: LHP Chasen Shreve was purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque and RHP John Curtiss was designated for assignment. … OF Nolan Jones (back strain) paused his rehab assignment for the birth of his first child last weekend. He is to resume at Class A Fresno. … RHP Antonio Senzatela (Tommy John) is to pitch in an Arizona Complex League game Thursday, first appearance since his July 2023 surgery … LHP Lucas Gilbreath (Tommy John) is scheduled to pitch for Albuquerque on Wednesday.

NEXT UP

Mets RHP Paul Blackburn (5-2, 4.11 ERA) is to oppose Colorado RHP Ryan Feltner (1-10, 4.97).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Díaz, front, congratulates relief pitcher Victor Vodnik after a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Fans are silhouetted against the clouds as a rainstorm sweeps over Coors F/ield in the fifth inning of a baseball game between the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A Coors Field grounds crew worker throws a drying agent on the infield as a rainstorm sweeps over the stadium in the fifth inning of a baseball game between the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Angel Chivilli works against the New York Mets in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New York Mets relief pitcher Huascar Brazobán works against the Colorado Rockies in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New York Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Colorado Rockies' Jake Cave in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens, front, fields the throw as Colorado Rockies' Brendan Rodgers scores on a double hit by Elias Díaz in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Victor Vodnik works against the New York Mets in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Jake Cave, front, celebrates after hitting a two-run home run with Elias Díaz in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Elias Díaz follows the flight of his RBI double off New York Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Colt Keith hit a two-run homer, Matt Vierling had three hits while driving in the go-ahead run, and the Detroit Tigers rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 on Monday night in a crucial game for their playoff hopes.

Pinch-hitter Wenceel Pérez had the tying two-run double for Detroit, which began its final trip of the regular season by moving within 1 1/2 games of Minnesota for the final AL wild-card spot. The Twins lost to Cleveland earlier in the night.

“It was an incredible win because of how we were able to do it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We didn't do much early, although our at-bats were pretty good. Started to chip away a little bit, a couple of really big swings, and then we held on."

Brenan Hanifee (1-1) earned the win in relief for Detroit, allowing one run and three hits over 2 1/3 innings. Jason Foley finished off a solid bullpen performance, working a perfect ninth to earn his 24th save and second in two days.

“The bullpen has been doing it all year for us,” Keith said, “and they did it again tonight.”

Bobby Witt Jr. hit a grand slam to stake Kansas City to a 4-0 lead, and he added a bunt single for a five-RBI game. But the Royals otherwise kept squandering chances to score, just as they did in their loss to the Pirates on Sunday.

Sam Long (3-2) took the loss for Kansas City, allowing three runs while retiring just two batters in relief of Seth Lugo.

“A lot of stuff happened in that game, clearly. It was an intense back-and-forth, both teams putting everything on the line,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “You get out to a lead, you feel pretty good. You know they're not going to go away.”

Indeed, the Royals started their final homestand by taking advantage of what Detroit could not: the bases loaded.

The Tigers packed them in the third before Keith grounded out to second to end the threat. But when Kansas City loaded the bases in the bottom half — a leadoff walk from Adam Frazier, a single by Yuli Gurriel and a bunt single from Kyle Isbel — Witt hit a 1-1 pitch what seemed like a mile high and over the left-field wall for his second grand slam of the season.

Reese Olson, making his first start since straining his right shoulder July 20 in Toronto, was lifted one batter later, after Salvador Perez blooped a single to right. He allowed four runs, four hits and a walk while throwing 50 pitches.

The Tigers still trailed 5-1 in the fifth when they began their comeback, scoring once on Witt's throwing error and twice more when Keith homered to right. And after Witt delivered an RBI single in the bottom half for his 200th hit of the season, Detroit pushed across three more runs in the sixth off Long and John Schreiber to take a 7-6 lead.

“We had trouble putting them away from the very beginning. There weren’t a lot of easy outs,” Quatraro said. "You have got to give them credit the way they battled their at-bats and drove (Seth) Lugo’s pitch count up. Then they continued to put good at-bats up. I thought ours were pretty good, too. We just didn’t get the big hits like they did.”

The Royals had two aboard with one out in the seventh, and the first two on base in the eighth, but failed to score both times.

“That was one of the best games we've played as a team,” Keith said. “I don't think anybody thought that we were out of it."

Tigers: RHP Ricky Vanasco was optioned to Triple-A Toledo to make space for Olson on the roster. Vanasco pitched two scoreless innings in two appearances with the club, earning his first big league win on Sept. 5 in Oakland.

Royals: RHP Chris Stratton, who went on the injured list Saturday, was diagnosed with a Grade-1 flexor strain and will be shut down for at least a week. ... RHP James McArthur left Monday's game after retiring two batters with right elbow tightness.

Detroit: RHP Casey Mize (2-6, 4.47) is on the mound against Kansas City for the second game of the series Tuesday night.

Kansas City: LHP Cole Ragans (11-9, 3.32) faces the Tigers after striking out 12 against them in an 8-3 win on May 22.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch talks to his players on the mound as he makes a pitching change during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Reese Olson throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. hits a grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. runs the bases after hitting a grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)