Jose Buttó thrives in relief as Mets beat Rockies 7-3
NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Buttó continued to thrive out of the bullpen Saturday, throwing 2 2/3 innings of solid relief and earning the win as the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 7-3 to tie a season-high by moving four games over .500.
Francisco Lindor provided insurance with a three-run homer in the eighth as the Mets (49-45) climbed four games over .500 for the first time since they were 12-8 on April 20.
Buttó (4-3) is 3-0 with one save in four relief appearances since being promoted from Triple-A Syracuse on July 2. He made just 15 relief appearances as a professional prior to his recall.
Buttó got eight outs within the first seven batters he faced Saturday — the right-hander relieved Christian Scott in the fifth and induced Elias Díaz to hit into an inning-ending double play — before opening the eighth by allowing a single to Ezequiel Tovar and walking Ryan McMahon.
Dedniel Núñez got Diaz to hit into a double play and retired Brenton Doyle on a pop-up before throwing a perfect ninth inning to earn his first career save and become the ninth Mets pitcher with a save this season.
The Mets scored four times in the second via a two-run throwing error by Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers and Jeff McNeil’s two-run double.
Jake Cave and Charlie Blackmon homered for the Rockies off Mets rookie Christian Scott, who remained winless as a big leaguer after allowing three runs in 4 1/3 innings. He is the fourth Mets pitcher to open his career without a victory in his first eight starts and the first since John Pacella in 1979-80.
The Rockies’ Ryan Feltner (1-9) surrendered four runs (three earned) in 3 2/3 innings. He is 0-8 with a 5.73 ERA in 16 starts since earning his lone win April 12.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: OF Nolan Jones (lower back strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Friday. It’s the second stint on the IL with a back injury this season for Jones, who missed 41 games from April 29 through June 14. To replace Jones on the roster, the Rockies recalled OF Sean Bouchard from Triple-A Albuquerque. … Colorado also recalled RHP Angel Chivilli from Double-A Hartford and optioned RHP Tanner Gordon to Albuquerque. Gordon took the loss Friday and has a 10.61 ERA in his first two big league starts.
Mets: RHP Drew Smith (right elbow) underwent a full Tommy John surgery with an internal brace procedure Friday and will likely be out until 2026. Smith, an impending free agent, last pitched June 23 and went 1-1 with two saves and a 3.06 ERA this season.
UP NEXT
The teams conclude the first half Sunday afternoon, when Rockies RHP Germán Márquez (season debut) returns from Tommy John surgery to oppose Mets LHP Jose Quintana (4-5, 3.91 ERA). Márquez last pitched for Colorado on April 26, 2023.
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