Mets Win 11-Inning Thriller, Defeat Rockies 6-5

DENVER (WFAN/AP) — Ike Davis singled in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning and the New York Mets overcame two tying homers allowed by their bullpen to beat the Colorado Rockies 6-5 Sunday.

It was a thrilling game were the pendulum swung back and forth.

David Wright started the 11th with a single off Matt Belisle and Lucas Duda followed with a single. After Scott Hairston hit into a fielder's choice, Davis lined a single to left to score Wright and rescue the Mets.

Ramon Ramirez got his first save of the season, holding onto a lead after Tim Byrdak and Frank Francisco couldn't.

Byrdak gave up Todd Helton's grand slam in the eighth, and Francisco blew a save in the 10th after pinch-hitter Mike Baxter singled off Belisle and Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed with an opposite field RBI double to left.

With the Mets in front 4-0 and Mets starter Johan Santana in sight of his first win in nearly two years, the Rockies rallied to tie it in the eighth.

Dexter Fowler hit a one-out single off Jon Rauch. Gonzalez drew a walk and Troy Tulowitzi grounded out before Michael Cuddyer walked to load the bases.

Byrdak came on to face Helton, who worked the count to 2-2 before driving an 84 mph slider off the facing of the second deck above the right field wall, bringing the crowd to its feet with a roar.

A pumped-up Helton flipped his bat as he began his trot and slapped hands with a gaggle of teammates around home plate before emerging from the dugout moments later to take a curtain call.

It was the second pinch-hit homer of Helton's career and his sixth grand slam.  Helton's slam was the second by the Rockies in the series. Ramon Hernandez also hit a grand slam in Friday's 18-9 win over the Mets.

Santana, who missed all of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery, gave up two hits, walked three and struck out five in six scoreless innings.

Starting for the first time at Coors Field, Santana still has not given up an earned run to the Rockies in 22 innings over three career starts.  His terrific start was almost an afterthought considering the way the game ended.

Jamie Moyer went five innings and gave up four runs on 11 hits, including Josh Thole's two-out solo home run in the fifth.

The Mets scored three runs in the first inning, the first time New York scored while Santana was in the game during any of his five starts this season.

The sequence was punctuated by Wright's two-run double and an RBI single by Hairston, though Moyer managed to wriggle out of a one-out bases loaded jam by fanning Thole and retiring Santana on a fly ball to right field.

NOTES: New Broncos QB Peyton Manning visited both the Mets and Rockies clubhouses before the game. Manning is a friend of Dickey and is close with Helton, who was the backup quarterback to Manning when they were both in college at Tennessee. ... New York OF Andres Torres (strained left calf) completed a two-game minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo and was to join the Mets on Monday in Houston, where it's expected he'll be activated from the 15-day disabled list.

Rockies pitcher Drew Pomeranz, who left his start Friday after four innings because of tightness in his left forearm, is on course to make his next scheduled start Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. ... Juan Nicasio (1-0) is slated to pitch the series opener against Aaron Harang (1-1) and the Dodgers on Monday as the Rockies continue their nine-game homestand at Coors Field. ... R.A Dickey (2-1) will be going for his third win of the season when he starts the Mets' series opener at Houston against Bud Norris (1-1).