Feltner falters in pivotal second after promising first frame

NEW YORK -- The way things started, it looked like right-hander Ryan Feltner was going to have a game to remember as he struck out the side in the first inning on Saturday afternoon.

“I fell into a groove right away, “Feltner said before a four-run second inning derailed his start in the Rockies’ 7-3 loss to the Mets at Citi Field. “We used all of my pitches that [first] inning. They were all working.”

But suddenly, Feltner had problems throwing strikes in that pivotal second frame. After allowing a leadoff single to Pete Alonso, Feltner walked two of the next three hitters to load the bases.

Luis Torrens then came to the plate and appeared to hit a perfect double-play ball to second baseman Brendan Rodgers, who bobbled it before sailing a throw to the second-base bag past shortstop Ezequiel Tovar for an error that allowed Alonso and D.J. Stewart to score. Jeff McNeil followed with a double to center field to make it a 4-0 game.

“I had to throw a few extra pitches,” Feltner said. “I had a few walks after that and that’s uncharacteristic [of me]. I need to be better on that end. I had some chances to end it early and wasn’t able to capitalize on it.”

Feltner was gone by the fourth inning and the Rockies received strong relief work from Justin Lawrence, Tyler Kinley and Victor Vodnik -- allowing Colorado to make it a one-run game by the fifth inning against Mets starter Christian Scott.

In the third inning, Jake Cave put Colorado on the board with a solo home run over the left-field wall, while Charlie Blackmon hit a two-run homer to make it a 4-3 deficit two innings later.

Vodnik lost his thunder in the bottom of the eighth. After walking Ben Gamel and hitting Torrens with a pitch, left-hander Jalen Beeks entered the game with one out and it looked like he might get out of the inning when he induced McNeil’s popup to third baseman Ryan McMahon.

Francisco Lindor followed and it appeared that he would be given a free pass to load the bases in favor of Brandon Nimmo, who was hitless in three at-bats at that point. But manager Bud Black decided to let Beeks face Lindor, who hit a three-run homer to seal the game.

“[Beeks] missed his spot on the fastball. Lindor is a really good player, too. He is a star,” Black said.

Without a doubt, the Rockies need to improve their pitching staff. Entering Sunday’s action against New York, Colorado sits 30th in ERA [5.61] and hits allowed [969]. But help is on the way as Germán Márquez is set to come off the injured list and make his season debut against New York in Sunday’s series finale.

Márquez, who has missed more than a year after having Tommy John surgery, is likely to throw no more than 80 pitches in the game. Prior to the surgery, Márquez was an All-Star in 2021 and won 65 games during his eight seasons in the big leagues.

“We are excited to have Germán back,” Black said. “I think getting Germán back and getting him going will be a boost for the team. It’s going to make the guys feel good when Germán takes the mound.”

Black’s biggest concern on Sunday is scoring enough runs to win the last game of the first half of the season.

“Our challenge is to get to [Mets left-hander] Jose Quintana,” Black said. “We have to score some runs. We scored three today. We made a charge [on Friday] in a one-run game. Saturday was a one-run game going into the eighth. We made a mislocated pitch to Lindor.

“If we get Lindor, it’s a one-run game in the ninth. Just like yesterday. But, we’ll be all right.”