Rockies slug their way to 6-5 win over Mets

NEW YORK – The Colorado Rockies keep finding ways to win one-run games.

The New York Mets seem just as adept at losing them.

Carlos Gonzalez and hot-hitting Troy Tulowitzki belted back-to-back home runs, and the Rockies survived a shaky ninth inning to beat New York 6-5 in a doubleheader opener Thursday.

The Rockies (9-2), off to the best start in franchise history, won their fourth consecutive one-run game and their ninth in 10 games overall. They were going for a four-game series sweep in Game 2, which was postponed from Tuesday night because of rain.

Colorado had a three-run lead in the ninth when Huston Street came on to close it out. He gave up a two-run homer to Scott Hairston, a walk to Josh Thole and a single to pinch hitter Carlos Beltran before manager Jim Tracy brought in Matt Lindstrom.

He got Jose Reyes to ground into a fielder's choice, then walked Daniel Murphy to load the bases for David Wright, who flied out to the warning track in right to end the game.

Greg Reynolds (1-0) lasted five innings to earn his first win since June 17, 2008.

"Obviously a very dramatic ending," Tracy said. "But something we've done since Day 1 — and I'm not talking about the season, I'm talking spring training — we've preached togetherness.

"Matt Lindstrom picked Huston up, and every once in a while that has to happen."

Tulowitzki terrorized the Mets again with three hits, including his league-leading sixth home run, and is 8 for 12 in the series. The sweet-swinging shortstop has driven in seven runs against New York, with the go-ahead three-run shot Wednesday night.

Right-hander R.A. Dickey (1-2) struggled with his knuckleball, allowing five runs and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings, as the Mets lost their fourth straight game.

Reyes hit his first homer of the season, a solo shot in the eighth inning.

"What I want to do is make sure I keep their spirits up and battle," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "They did that again today, and they've did it pretty much the last 12 games."

New York took the lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Angel Pagan and a two-out RBI single by Hairston, before the Rockies got one back in the fifth.

Jose Morales singled leading off and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Dexter Fowler then tagged a pitch deep to center that Pagan appeared to lose in the sun. It bounced off the wall to put runners on first and third, and Seth Smith followed with an RBI groundout to make it 2-1.

The Rockies pulled ahead in the sixth on another outfield miscue.

Tulowitzki led off with a base hit. Jason Giambi then drew a full-count walk before Jose Lopez grounded into a fielder's choice that cut down Tulowitzki at third. Morales came to the plate and hit a fly ball to right field that Hairston simply stopped chasing.

It wasn't clear whether he lost it in the sky or thought it was gone.

Either way, the ball hopped once off the warning track and again off the wall, allowing both runners to score and giving the Rockies a 3-2 lead.

"Certainly, we have to make some plays," Collins said. "Balls dropped in and hurt us."

Yet another outfield blunder came in the seventh, when Willie Harris' error on a double by Smith allowed him to coast into third base. Gonzalez followed by driving a 2-2 pitch from Dickey into the right-field seats for his first homer of the season, and Tulowitzki made it back-to-back shots when he connected off reliever Bobby Parnell moments later.

The comedy of errors wasn't limited to the Mets, though they were the most costly.

Gonzalez slipped and fell on his butt after losing a fly ball to left in the first inning, and Colorado reliever Franklin Morales lost his right shoe while covering first base when Harris stepped on his foot running out a ground ball in the sixth.

Morales limped off the field without throwing another pitch.

Notes: Between games, the Rockies optioned Greg Reynolds to Triple-A Colorado Springs and purchased the contract of RHP Alan Johnson. They also transferred Aaron Cook to the 60-day disabled list. ... Mets RHP Chris Young (right biceps tendinitis) threw a bullpen session before the game. His start Friday in Atlanta has been pushed back to Sunday.