DENVER — Craig Kimbrel didn’t record an out until he faced his fifth batter Thursday, by which time the Mets’ sweep dreams had been obliterated.
It was an afternoon in which the Mets lineup, after a recent uptick, went dry and then haywire in the eighth inning when Kimbrel entered a tie game against the Rockies and loaded the bases.
Jake McCarthy’s ensuing grand slam sent the Mets to a 6-2 loss at Coors Field that snapped their three-game winning streak.
Kimbrel, chosen to pitch the eighth a day after the Mets emptied their bullpen and then went heavy on relief following a short Christian Scott start, threw a 94-mph fastball that McCarthy hooked around the right field foul pole — with the home run call upheld on replay — leaving the Mets situated in a Rocky Mountain low.
The Mets fell to 4-2 on the road trip as they begin a three-game series Friday at Arizona.
Kimbrel allowed singles to TJ Rumfield and Troy Johnston to begin the winning rally before walking Willi Castro to load the bases.
McCarthy jumped on the second pitch.
At the plate, the Mets went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Scott was removed at 82 pitches before he could face the Rockies the third time through the order.
The right-hander allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks over 4 ²/₃ innings with six strikeouts.
Scott, returning from a missed season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, holds a 3.27 ERA in his three starts this year.
This was Scott’s second start on the road trip in which he kept the Mets in the game.
Last week, he held the Angels to three earned runs over five innings before the Mets rallied for the victory.
The Mets jumped on Jose Quintana for two runs in the second to take a 2-0 lead.
Andy Ibáñez drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly. Tyrone Taylor’s RBI single extended the lead.
Austin Slater’s leadoff single and Marcus Semien’s ensuing walk started the rally, with the runners advancing to second and third on a wild pitch.
Juan Soto’s one-out triple in the third was wasted when Mark Vientos, following a walk to Bo Bichette, grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Scott sailed into the fourth before allowing an RBI single to Castro that trimmed the Mets’ lead to 2-1.
Tyler Freeman bunted for a single and Johnston walked before Castro delivered.
But with runners on the corners, Scott struck out McCarthy to avoid further damage.
Quintana allowed only two earned runs on five hits and two walks over 5 ²/₃ innings with two strikeouts.
Huascar Brazobán got the final out in the fifth after Scott walked Edouard Julien and was removed.
Brazobán surrendered a bloop RBI double to McCarthy in the sixth that tied it 2-2.
Austin Warren walked Kyle Karros to load the bases before striking out Brett Sullivan to end the inning.
Soto batted with runners on first and second in the seventh, following walks to Francisco Alvarez and Vidal Brujan, but popped up for the final out.
Warren walked Mickey Moniak in the bottom of the frame before getting Freeman to ground into an inning-ending double play.
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