Failure in the clutch: Rockies lose to Mets as record slides to 12-52

Perhaps the Rockies should order takeout, because their home cooking isn’t very good.

The Mets clobbered the Rockies, 8-1, Saturday night at Coors Field in front of 38,279 fans, hitting three leadoff homers off Colorado right-hander German Marquez. New York’s win streak over Colorado grew to seven games.

But at the heart of the loss was the Rockies’ continued inability to produce a clutch hit, even in their home ballpark. The Rockies had 10 hits but were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position. They were 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position in their 4-2 loss to New York on Friday night.

Failure in the clutch has been a recurring theme and contributed mightily to Colorado’s 12-52 record, which ties the 1932 Red Sox for the worst record through 64 games in baseball’s Modern Era (since 1901). The Rockies are hitting .210 with RISP, second worst in the majors behind Baltimore (.208).

Asked how the Rockies can turn it around, manager Warren Schaeffer said, “I think it’s just calmness in the batter’s box, in those situations. Mixed with aggression — that fine line.”

Then Schaeffer spelled out the wasted chances.

“Today, first and third, and no outs in the first,” he said. “First and second, and no outs in the third … So we had plenty of opportunities to score early, which could have changed the course of that game. It’s been a consistent theme, but we’ll get better at it.”

The Rockies slid to 6-24 in LoDo, the worst home record in the majors and their worst start through 30 home games in franchise history. They have been outscored 222-114 at Coors this season. They were held to five runs or fewer at home for the ninth straight game, tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history.

Ryan McMahon’s leadoff homer in the fifth, an opposite-field shot off Mets starter Clay Holmes, was the Rockies’ 28th homer at Coors Field. The opposition has hit 38.

McMahon’s homer, his sixth this season but first since May 11, was the 131st homer of his career, moving him past Matt Holliday for 11th place in franchise history.

Marquez had been pitching much better lately, posting a 3.86 ERA over his last five starts. He was in a groove for the first four innings Saturday, giving up one run on three hits, the big blow Ronny Mauricio’s leadoff homer in the third. Big blow, meaning a 456-foot rocket to right field.

Things got messy in the fifth. Jared Young led off with a solo homer to left, and Mauricio followed with a single and a stolen base.

The Mets stole three bases off Marquez, who did a poor job of holding runners. The first two thefts, both by leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor, who started at shortstop despite a broken pinky toe, didn’t hurt Colorado. But Mauricio’s steal cost Marquez because Brandon Nimmo punched an RBI single through the left side of the infield to put New York ahead, 3-1.

Both Marquez and Schaeffer said they thought that the Mets “had something” on Marquez and his delivery, which allowed the Mets to swipe bases easily off the right-hander.

“I feel like they have something on me and that’s something I have to work on,” said Marquez, who admitted that Lindor’s first steal caught him off guard.

Added Schaeffer: “The running game got us today for sure. … We need to mix up looks and mix times (to the plate).”