HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Terry Collins was watching another masterful pitching performance by shaggy-haired rookie Jacob deGrom when David Wright returned to the New York dugout with the news that his season was over because of a shoulder injury.
The Mets manager had little time to think about the ramifications of losing his star third baseman, not with his team suddenly on the fringe of the National League playoff race.
DeGrom pitched three-hit ball for eight dominant innings, and New York held on to beat the Colorado Rockies 2-0 on Tuesday night for its sixth win in seven games.
“At the moment I was trying to win a baseball game,” Collins said. “There’s a lot of discussions that are going to have to take place here to decide where we need to head.”
Jeurys Familia got Wilin Rosario to ground out with the bases loaded in the ninth for his fifth save, helping the Mets move five games under .500 (70-75). They are just 5 1-2 games behind Pittsburgh for the second NL wild card with three teams in front of them.
“Just a really good team win right there,” said All-Star second baseman Daniel Murphy, who went 1 for 3 in his return from the disabled list. “A little bit of a sour taste in your mouth with what’s going on with David.”
Wright has been playing with a sore shoulder since mid-June. The pain became more severe Monday night and he had an MRI Tuesday, missing the game. The seven-time All-Star will be shut down for the rest of the season and begin a six-week rehabilitation program after a period of rest.
“It’s disappointing,” Wright said Tuesday night. “But I think for me personally, making sure I end this year as healthy as can be and then do what I can, starting with this rehab program, to ensure that I will be as close to 100 percent for spring training is the goal.”
Juan Lagares had an RBI single, and Curtis Granderson added an RBI double off Christian Bergman (2-3) one night after he hit a tying triple in the ninth inning of the series-opening win.
In his 20th career start, deGrom (8-6) didn’t allow a baserunner after Nolan Arenado’s one-out double in the fourth — retiring his final 14 batters. He struck out nine and walked none.
“I felt like I was getting stronger as the game went on,” deGrom said. “That’s a great feeling because it’s my first time I’m pitching this late into a year.”
Over his last 10 starts, deGrom is 7-1 with a 1.60 ERA. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in 22 straight innings.
Matt den Dekker’s double with one out in the fifth gave the Mets their first runner in scoring position against Bergman, and they came through. After deGrom grounded out, Lagares had an RBI single.
Den Dekker was later hit by a pitch in the hand. X-Rays were negative.
Bergman yielded six hits and two runs in six innings in his seventh major league start. He didn’t walk a batter for his second consecutive outing.
“Bergy did another nice job,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s been one of those guys who’ve come up and been a bright spot for us — he competes pretty well.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: Weiss said OF Ben Paulsen has shown no ill effects from being hit in the elbow by a pitch on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Two pitchers who made their major league debuts this season will start the finale of this three-game series. Colorado LHP Tyler Matzek (5-9) is set to make his 17th start. Mets RHP Rafael Montero will be making his seventh career start. He is 0-3 with 4.71 ERA at Citi Field.
MOVE’EM IN
Collins is a fan of general manager Sandy Alderson’s idea to bring in the right field fence at Citi Field again. Collins said moving in the fence that is 375 feet from home plate would help players such as Lucas Duda, Wright and Granderson. “I think it’s going to help us a little bit, confidence-wise,” Collins said.
WHEELS WORKING
A day after returning from a left hamstring strain, Michael Cuddyer made a spectacular diving catch on deGrom’s sinking liner in the third inning. The right fielder ran a long way before laying out to make the grab in right-center. “That was a good sign,” Weiss said. “He made a heck of a play on that and no issues.”
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