New York @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 16, 2019 ) NY Mets 4, Colorado 9

The New York Mets have suffered back-to-back damaging losses to put their National League wild-card hopes in deep trouble. New York will try to recover from its woes when it visits the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday for the middle contest of their three-game series.

The Mets were pounded 9-4 in Monday's opener to fall five games behind the Chicago Cubs for the NL's second wild card with just 12 games remaining. NL Rookie of the Year favorite Pete Alonso went 2-for-4 in the setback after going hitless in 19 at-bats over his previous six contests. Trevor Story hit a three-run homer and Ian Desmond belted a solo shot for the Rockies, who have scored 40 runs during their four-game winning streak. Story has launched three blasts in his last four games to raise his season count to 33, four shy of the career best he recorded last season.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Marcus Stroman (8-13, 3.35 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Tim Melville (2-2, 5.16)

Stroman has gone 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in eight starts since being acquired from Toronto. The 28-year-old is coming off a strong performance in which he gave up one run and four hits over 6 1/3 innings while defeating Arizona. Stroman faced the Rockies for the first time on June 1 while still with the Blue Jays and yielded four runs - three earned - and seven hits over seven frames en route to a loss.

Melville is making his sixth start for the Rockies and the ninth of his major-league career. The 29-year-old served up four homers against St. Louis in his last turn as he surrendered five runs and five hits over three innings while taking the loss. Melville has pitched three innings or fewer in two of his last three starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mets 2B Robinson Cano was hitless in three at-bats in the series opener, ending his seven-game hitting streak.

2. Colorado INF Garrett Hampson went 3-for-4 with two RBIs on Monday and is a scorching 11-for-22 over his last five games.

3. New York INF-OF Jeff McNeil was 2-for-5 with a homer in the opener after being hitless in 11 at-bats over his previous three contests.

PREDICTION: Rockies 8, Mets 6