The Colorado Rockies defeated the NY Mets 9-4 in Monday night's opener of this three-game set. The Mets will now enter Tuesday five games behind the Chicago Cubs for the second wild card in the National League with just 12 games remaining. I do not think they're ready to give up on the season just yet though, particularly not with Marcus Stroman on the mound Tuesday night.

Stroman (8-13, 3.35 ERA) is coming off six-plus innings of one-run ball against Arizona and the team has won five of his eight starts since coming over from Toronto. The losses came against Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia x 2, two teams far stronger than the 66-85 Rockies.

As for Colorado starter Tim Melville (2-2, 5.16 ERA), the 29-year-old right-hander has just nine major league starts under his belt, and he has allowed 10 runs on 12 hits (five homers over his last five innings here at Coors Field.

Mets are 15-5 in their last 20 road games vs. a right-handed starter and 15-6 in their last 21 Tuesday games. Rockies are 1-10 in their last 11 Tuesday games.

10* play on New York Mets.