DENVER -- “It’s a great education for a lot of our guys, and they’ll learn from it.”

Bud Black has seen this movie before. Over the first 13 games of the 2021 season, the Rockies faced the following starting pitchers: Clayton Kershaw, Trevor Bauer (twice), Johnny Cueto and Walker Buehler (twice). Then came Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Mets in Game 1 of a seven-inning doubleheader at Coors Field, which dropped Colorado to 3-11.

• Box score

“There are some growing pains here with some of our guys, but they’re getting adjusted early in the season, which I think ultimately will be good for them,” Black said. “They’re starting a Major League season for the first time on an active roster, on the Opening Day roster, and here they are going up against some of the best in baseball. But, you know, that’s the big leagues. I’ve always maintained that a Minor League pitcher is different than a big league pitcher, especially with a guy like today.”

That guy was two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, one of the best starting pitchers in the game. And he demonstrated why he has that distinction by striking out nine straight Rockies at one point in the contest, falling one short of tying the Major League record for consecutive strikeouts in a game (10 by Tom Seaver). He tied a career high with 14 in six innings overall.

The Rockies’ lineup is one of the most inexperienced in baseball, with veteran stars Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon anchoring the middle. And yet, thanks to a Dom Núñez RBI triple and a Raimel Tapia solo home run, Colorado took a 3-2 lead into the seventh after facing one of the best hurlers in the game.

Núñez’s triple and Tapia’s homer came as part of a three-run fifth inning for the Rockies, but Colorado’s bullpen -- as has been all too common early in the season -- couldn’t hold it. Closer Daniel Bard allowed two runs in the seventh on an RBI double by pinch-hitter Jonathan Villar and a go-ahead RBI single by Francisco Lindor.

Rockies starter Chi Chi González may not have been in the spotlight the way deGrom was, but González turned in five strong innings, limiting the Mets to one run on six hits while walking one and striking out three. That lowered his season ERA to 3.00 (five earned runs in 15 innings pitched).

“Going into the game, our scouting report was that these guys hit the fastball well,” González said. “So we were concentrated on executing my fastballs to the corners and throwing my curveball more and executing sliders, front foot and back foot.”

The Rockies have lost seven in a row and 11 of 14 to open the season. But this is a club that will go through growing pains, as Black said. The key will be for them to actually grow.

“Each and every day, they’ll get better,” Black said. “After a game like today and seeing that type of stuff, and knowing what’s potentially in store for them for the rest of their career -- they’ll face good pitchers.

“I like the fight in this group, I really do, despite today not going our way. At least in the first game.”