New York @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 9, 2019 ) Colorado 1, NY Mets 6

The New York Mets' postseason hopes took a hit on Sunday thanks to the team's beleaguered bullpen. New York attempts to remain relevant in the National League wild-card race when it begins its final road trip of the season with the opener of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Monday.

The Mets held a one-run lead over the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers after seven innings, but their relievers allowed a run in the eighth and another in the ninth en route to a 3-2 setback. Brandon Nimmo delivered a two-run triple in the second to open a 2-0 lead for New York, which produced only three hits as it fell four games behind the Chicago Cubs for the second wild-card spot with 13 remaining. Colorado feasted on San Diego pitching over the weekend, totaling 31 runs after completing a three-game sweep with a 10-5 victory on Sunday. Ryan McMahon and rookie Josh Fuentes each went 3-for-5 with four RBIs, with the former belting a pair of homers and the latter launching his second in three games.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Steven Matz (10-8, 3.84 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Antonio Senzatela (9-10, 6.87)

Matz just may be exorcising his road demons at the right time, as he has gone 1-0 while allowing four runs - three earned - over 11 innings in his last two turns to lower his ERA away from home to 6.08. The 28-year-old New Yorker, who owns a 1.94 ERA at home, won for the fourth time in five overall decisions on Wednesday after scattering four hits over six scoreless frames versus Arizona. Matz posted his first win in six career starts against Colorado at home on June 8, when he improved to 1-4 with a 6.07 ERA versus the club after permitting three runs - two earned - and six hits with a season-high 10 strikeouts in six frames.

Senzatela ended his four-start losing streak on Wednesday as he limited St. Louis to one run and four hits over six innings. The 24-year-old Venezuelan had surrendered 38 runs over 20 2/3 frames in his previous six outings. Senzatela made his second career appearance - and first start - against the Mets in New York on June 7, recording the victory after allowing just one run and four hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mets INF-OF J.D. Davis has hit safely in nine of his 11 contests this month, going 14-for-36 in that span.

2. Colorado has allowed 33 runs over its last four games after giving up a total of four in its previous three contests.

3. New York rookie 1B Pete Alonso, who is tied for the major-league lead with 47 homers, has gone six games without a blast - his longest drought since a career-worst nine-game stretch from July 27-Aug. 5.

PREDICTION: Rockies 8, Mets 5