New York- It’s easy to forget the Rockies’ real problem.
Lost in the bullpen turnstile, the crippling injuries, the alarming lack of power, the essence of why the Rockies haven’t played a meaningful game in a decade gets obscured. They aren’t competitive on the road.
Colorado leaves Coors Field and becomes Clark Griswold in “Vacation,” their trips memorable for mishaps and losses. No place has been more unkind than Mets’ rapidly aging ballpark, soon-to-be replaced in 2009 by an Ebbets Field replica.
The Mets squashed the Rockies 6-1 on Tuesday, pinning Colorado with its 14th loss in 15 games at Shea Stadium.
“We had some leads here last year, I remember that,” third baseman Garrett Atkins said. “I didn’t realize it was that bad.”
The script was familiar and painfully predictable. The Rockies’ offense did not make it through baggage claim. Colorado scored two or fewer runs for the eighth time in 20 games, including five times on the road. The Rockies’ mark in visiting parks sits at unsightly 3-7.
They are hitting .220 on the road. Worse, Colorado hasn’t homered in six consecutive games overall, tying a franchise record.
The smallest Mets’ crowd of the season saw John Maine pick up his third win, yielding just one run in seven innings. Taylor Buchholz got the loss, unable to recover from Jose Valentin’s three-run home run in the second inning.
