NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Lorenzen induced three double-play grounders in seven efficient innings and the Colorado Rockies held off the slumping New York Mets 4-3 on Friday night.
Jake McCarthy hit a tiebreaking double off starter Freddy Peralta (1-3) in the sixth, and Troy Johnston added a two-run single against Sean Manaea in the seventh to help Colorado end an eight-game losing streak to the Mets.
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New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) leaves during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield (7) celebrates with Hunter Goodman (15) after they score on a single byu Troy Johnston during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy (31) follows through on a RBI double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela, right, celebrates with catcher Hunter Goodman after a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Colorado Rockies' Michael Lorenzen (24) pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York had won two in a row following a 12-game skid that marked the team's longest since August 2002.
Brett Baty had a two-run single that shaved New York's deficit to 4-3 in the eighth, but Mark Vientos lined into an inning-ending double play with two runners aboard.
Lorenzen (2-2) worked out of trouble several times during his longest outing this season, allowing one run and seven hits on 90 pitches. He struck out three and walked none.
Antonio Senzatela entered to face Vientos in the eighth and retired all four batters he faced, accounting for five outs. The converted starter earned his second major league save, both this season.
Pinch-runner Tommy Pham got doubled off second base when Vientos lined out to second baseman Tyler Freeman.
Hitters had been 0 for 20 with runners in scoring position against Peralta this season before McCarthy's double gave the Rockies a 2-1 lead.
With the Mets playing their infield in, Johnston's sharp grounder in the seventh glanced off second baseman Marcus Semien's glove for a two-run single.
Colorado also scored in the fifth on a slow groundout by TJ Rumfield with the bases loaded.
Baty doubled leading off the second and scored on Semien's double-play grounder with runners at first and third.
New York had runners at the corners again in the fifth when leadoff batter Bo Bichette bounced into an inning-ending double play.
And after a leadoff single by Juan Soto in the sixth, Francisco Alvarez grounded into his fifth double play this season. It was the third time in 26 games this year the Mets (9-17) grounded into three double plays.
Peralta struck out eight and walked three in 5 2/3 innings. He permitted two runs and seven hits.
Rockies LHP Jose Quintana (0-2, 6.23 ERA) is scheduled to start the middle game of the series Saturday against his former team, though the forecast calls for rain. Struggling RHP Kodai Senga (0-3, 8.83) pitches for the Mets on seven days' rest.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) leaves during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield (7) celebrates with Hunter Goodman (15) after they score on a single byu Troy Johnston during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy (31) follows through on a RBI double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela, right, celebrates with catcher Hunter Goodman after a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Colorado Rockies' Michael Lorenzen (24) pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson scored 42 seconds apart in the third period, Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists, and the Anaheim Ducks celebrated their first home playoff game in eight years with a 7-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers and a 2-1 series lead on Friday night.
Jeffrey Viel and Jackson LaCombe also scored in the third and Lukas Dostal made 20 saves for the upstart Ducks, who have poured in 16 goals in three games to take an early lead in this first-round series against the two-time Western Conference champion Oilers. Mason McTavish and Alex Killorn scored early goals to the soundtrack of a raucous sellout crowd hungry for Orange County's first postseason hockey since 2018.
“It sounded like an army out there almost,” Sennecke said. “They've been waiting eight years for this, nine years for a win, so it was pretty special.”
Just as they've done so many times over their first season under coach Joel Quenneville, the Ducks overcame their clear defensive shortcomings by simply outscoring the powerhouse Oilers, thriving even after Connor McDavid recorded his first points of the series.
“I thought we had a great start to the game (and) did a lot of good things most of the night,” Quenneville said. “It was nice to see the crowd get rewarded with a win. Been a long time coming.”
Game 4 is Sunday night in Anaheim.
McDavid had a power-play goal in the third period and an assist, although the NHL scoring champion still doesn't appear to be at full health. Vasily Podkolzin, Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also scored, and Connor Ingram stopped 32 shots.
“You look at the goals against, and just some stuff that shouldn't happen, especially at this time of year,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. “There was lost coverage in front of the net. Couple of times we were careless with the puck. Early on, they were much more intense. They definitely looked like they wanted it more in the first period. We were able to find our legs. We started skating later in the game.”
Appropriately for a defense-deficient series, the Ducks capitalized on two transition sequences early in the third to take control.
Moments after Sennecke ripped a wrist shot for the tiebreaking goal and the precocious rookie's first playoff point, Carlsson clinically finished a textbook 2-on-1 rush with Troy Terry.
McDavid trimmed the Oilers’ deficit with a fortunate deflection off Pavel Mintyukov’s stick, but the superstar short-circuited another power play later in the third by cross-checking Tyson Hinds.
Viel then flipped home a backhand with 3:03 left to cap a strong game by the Ducks' fourth line, and LaCombe lofted an empty-net goal all the way from the Ducks' goal line to seal Anaheim's first home playoff victory since May 14, 2017, in the conference finals against Nashville.
“We couldn't even hear ourselves out there,” Viel said. “Definitely got us going right from the start.”
The clubs split the series' first two games in Edmonton, but the Ducks demonstrated they could stay with the playoff-tested Oilers despite the obvious deficiencies of an inexperienced group that allowed more goals this season than any other playoff team.
Anaheim rode the wave of crowd energy and dominated play early in Game 3, putting 20 shots on Ingram in the first period. The Oilers surged to a 3-2 lead early in the second, but Killorn tied it with his 39th career playoff goal.
Oilers forwards Adam Henrique and Jason Dickinson missed Game 3 with injuries.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid watches as the puck flies in front of him during the first period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series against the Anaheim Ducks, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram is scored on by Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish during the first period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Friday, April 24, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, right, falls as he passes the puck while under pressure from Edmonton Oilers right wing Kasperi Kapanen during the first period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Friday, April 24, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Anaheim Ducks center Mikael Granlund, right, celebrates his goal as Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram, left, reacts during the first period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Friday, April 24, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Anaheim Ducks left wing Alex Killorn, left, celebrates his goal as Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram sits in goal during the second period of Game 3 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series Friday, April 24, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
