Mets allow 7 runs in disastrous 5th inning, lose for 11th time in 14 games

After going down 1-0 following a homer from Rockies’ DH Randal Grichuk, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor both walked to lead off the bottom of the frame. Jeff McNeil hit a single to score Nimmo to tie the game and Brett Baty, who hit fifth Sunday, singled to score Lindor and McNeil. McNeil’ s RBI single put the Mets up 4-3 in the fourth, but Kris Bryant, who started in right...

This season’s trend of short outings from Mets’ starting pitchers continued Sunday, as starter Joey Lucchesi gave up three runs in four innings of work in the 13-6 loss against the Rockies.

With the Mets’ offense in a funk as of late — scoring just nine runs in five games prior to Sunday — the rubber match got off to an exceptional start for Buck Showalter’s squad.

After going down 1-0 following a homer from Rockies’ DH Randal Grichuk, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor both walked to lead off the bottom of the frame. Jeff McNeil hit a single to score Nimmo to tie the game and Brett Baty, who hit fifth Sunday, singled to score Lindor and McNeil.

The scoring could’ve continued, as Luis Guillorme singled to right but Daniel Vogelbach was thrown out at second base for the final out right before Baty could cross home for the fourth run.

McNeil’s RBI single put the Mets up 4-3 in the fourth, but Kris Bryant, who started in right field, hit a two-run homer off Jimmy Yacabonis in the fifth to put the Rockies back in front, 5-4.

Yacabonis entered for Lucchesi, who departed after the fourth inning. The reliever gave the Mets three scoreless innings in his last appearance in Detroit, but was unable to carry the magic back to Queens.

He recorded just one out Sunday, allowing three hits, five earned runs, two walks and the homer to Bryant on just 20 pitches. The right-hander headlined a disaster fifth frame that featured seven runs for the Rockies. He left the game with his ERA skyrocketing to nine.

Tommy Hunter allowed three runs after replacing Yacabonis before ending the inning with Colorado leading 10-4.

The short outings from starters have taxed the Mets bullpen all season. The team’s bullpen entered Sunday with a 3.41 ERA, which is second best in the NL but could get much worse if the starters continue to produce short outings.

The Rockies came into Queens hitting like they were still in Coors Field. Colorado registered 14 hits and three homers.

The home run barrage now makes this Mets squad the quickest team to give up 50 homers (35 games) in franchise history. Showalter’s pitching staff also leads the NL in walks and home runs allowed.

The Mets got nine hits on the night, four of them given up by Rockies’ starter Ryan Feltner. The righty allowed four earned runs, six walks and struck out three batters in 3.1 innings pitched.

Speedy center fielder Brenton Doyle’s infield RBI single scored the 11th run in the seventh. Vogelbach made up for his mistake with his homer to right in the bottom of the frame, making the score 11-6.

A sacrifice fly from catcher Austin Wynns added another run for the Rockies in the ninth. Doyle later scored on a wild pitch from Mets reliever Dominic Leone.

The highlight of the Mets day is that the team was able to put together hits after going through a funk during the past week, although they came against a team that has allowed the third most hits (308) in the NL entering Sunday.

Baty recorded a hit and two RBI after getting moved up in the order. Guillorme got two hits and McNeil got three of his own.

Jeff Brigham did his job Sunday, recording a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth.

After losing the series against the Rockies, the Mets will head to Cincinnati for three games against the Reds beginning on Tuesday.

Max Scherzer is expected to take the mound on Tuesday. Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga will get the start for the following two days, respectively.

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