Rox hit 3 straight HRs, outlast Mets in slugfest

DENVER -- The Rockies caught a bug on Tuesday night.
Nolan Arenado started it. Trevor Story continued it. And Ian Desmond finished it. The trio crushed back-to-back-to-back home runs to spur Colorado to a 10-8 win over the Mets, snapping an eight-game home losing streak that began on May 30.
"Losing's no fun," Arenado said. "It can get contagious, just like winning can. Hopefully, this is the start."
Tuesday featured an outbreak of homers not seen from the Rockies in eight years. The last time Colorado hit three in a row was May 27, 2010, in the bottom of the seventh when Seth Smith, Carlos González and Ryan Spilborghs all went deep against the D-backs.
Arenado's two-run shot and Story and Desmond's solo shots -- all off Mets starter Jason Vargas -- were part of a six-run third inning for the Rockies, who extended their lead to 8-2. It was the second time in five games that Colorado has scored six runs in an inning -- a season high. The Rockies scored six in the second inning of Saturday's 9-5 win at Texas.

"We're playing well right now," Story said. "We're scoring some runs. We're not letting up either. We can be really good, and even better." 
Tuesday's homer streak ended when Gonzalez hit a comebacker to the mound. But he made up for it an inning later with an opposite-field solo homer off Hansel Robles.
"Everybody wants to hit the ball hard," Gonzalez said. "That was good to see, all the guys hitting the ball. Too bad I didn't get one then, but I got one later."

The Rockies have scored nine or more in three of their last five games and seven or more in four of their last seven games. Entering Tuesday night, the Rockies led the National League with a .286 average and were tied for first in slugging percentage at .463 over the previous 20 games, including 12 at Coors. But severe pitching issues left the Rockies 7-13.
Still, the Rockies' offense is capable of pulling the club through, with Tuesday night as evidence.
Starting pitcher Germán Márquez (5-7) threw 95 pitches in six innings, allowing six hits and four runs. Marquez gave up a leadoff single to Brandon Nimmo and allowed two runs in the first two innings, but was able to minimize the damage.
"That's one of the things I've been working on and understanding that once we don't let an inning get out of hand, we've got a chance," Marquez said. "In this case it was keeping our lead."
Righty Bryan Shaw relieved Marquez in the seventh but gave up a run on an RBI single by José Bautista to cut the lead to 10-5. The Rockies brought in Chris Rusin after Shaw loaded the bases with one out, and the lefty struck out Michael Conforto. Adam Ottavino got out of the inning after the Mets scored one more on a passed ball. Ottavino struck out the next three batters in the eighth.

"The more guys you have pitching well, there's a collective, contagious, momentum-building situation," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "It doesn't happen overnight, but you need consecutive outings."
Black and his team hope that Tuesday night can be the start of a string of good games they've been looking for at home.

"It just feels good to get this win," Gonzalez said. "We've been waiting for this for a while."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
With the bullpen struggling -- except for Ottavino -- the Rockies have needed a spark from someone else. Rusin might be that guy.
Rusin replaced Shaw with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh and fanned Conforto on three pitches before departing for Ottavino. So while Rusin has a 7.36 ERA, he has three straight scoreless outings. One of those he faced three batters, and Tuesday he needed just one to finish his work.
"It helps you lock back in, believing in yourself a lot more once you start having a little bit of success like that," Rusin said. "It builds it up, each and every time. It's been going well, so I'm just going to keep it simple."
HE SAID IT
"I'm always looking for a fastball. That's the only pitch I can hit." -- Marquez, who tied a career high with two hits and is batting .308 in 26 at-bats

UP NEXT
The Rockies will send righty Chad Bettis (5-1, 4.65 ERA) to the hill for Wednesday's game against the Mets at 6:40 p.m. MT. Bettis has struggled at home, posting a 7.76 ERA in six starts. He will face Mets righty Seth Lugo (2-2, 2.49 ERA), who will be making his fourth start of the season after entering the Mets' rotation at the end of May.