DENVER — Logan Verrett making a spot start against the Rockies sure seemed like a decent idea at the time.
But not long into Saturday’s game, the Mets’ righty — who had dominated at Coors Field in a spot start last August — was in trouble, and his night got worse. A blown call by plate umpire Carlos Torres triggered manager Terry Collins’ first ejection of the season before Verrett received an early hook in the Mets’ 7-4 loss.
“It cost us the game — end of story,” Collins said, referring to Torres’ ruling that Tony Wolters foul-tipped a Verrett pitch in the third inning on a potential third strike.
Suddenly, the Mets (21-15) have slid into third place in the NL East and own a three-game losing streak for the first time since their opening homestand. They also fell to 4-6 on this road trip, which concludes Sunday.
Verrett, who received the starting assignment after Steven Matz incurred elbow discomfort earlier in the week and was scratched for precautionary reasons, lasted just 2 ²/₃ innings and allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits with three walks.
It unraveled for Verrett in the third, with an assist from Torres, who awarded Wolters a foul tip on what replays showed should have been strike three. Wolters then stroked a two-run double that put the Mets in a 5-1 hole, and Charlie Blackmon delivered a two-run single after pitcher Eddie Butler had been retired for the second out. Without Torres’ earlier intervention, that would have been the third out.
Collins — on one of the few calls he could argue, given the replay rules — was ejected while protesting the phantom foul tip.
“[Wolters] comes back into the box and tells me, ‘I didn’t hit that ball,’ ” catcher Kevin Plawecki said. “He didn’t have to tell me, I already knew. Everybody in the ballpark knew except the guy standing behind me.”
Did Torres say anything to Plawecki afterward?
“Our line of communication kind of stopped after that,” Plawecki said.
Verrett (3-1) took responsibility for the inning.
“It was my job to pitch out of it and limit the damage and I wasn’t able to do that, which is unfortunate,” Verrett said. “But it happens.”
Matz has played catch the past three days and said he is feeling better, but will be examined by team doctors on Monday in New York. The Mets are hopeful the lefty might return to the rotation in the upcoming series against the Nationals.
Verrett was in trouble on numerous occasions before Torres’ gift to Wolters. DJ LeMahieu walked with the bases loaded to bring in the third inning’s first run. The previous batter, Mark Reynolds, had walked after Verrett allowed consecutive singles to Nolan Arenado and Gerardo Parra, the latter on a bunt.
LeMahieu stroked an RBI single in the second that put the Mets in a 2-0 hole after Reynolds had doubled leading off.
Verrett encountered trouble in the first, when Trevor Story doubled and went to third on an errant pickoff attempt at second base. Arenado’s RBI ground out gave the Rockies a 1-0 lead.
David Wright showed life on the offensive side with a 2-for-5 performance.
Before the game, Wright — who entered in a 2-for-21 (.095) skid on the road trip — took extra batting practice. He had struck out an alarming 42 times in 103 at-bats this season, but his .375 on-base percentage in the No. 2 hole was certainly acceptable.
“I kind of obviously would like to cut down on the strikeouts,” Wright said. “I would like to consistently have better at-bats, but the fact that when I am struggling I am trying to find a way to get on base.”