Major League Baseball

Mets 7, Rockies 5

Published Apr. 29, 2012 5:32 a.m. ET

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Dillon Gee didn't let one tough inning get him down.

Gee shook off the rough patch in an otherwise strong outing, Lucas Duda backed him with a homer and single to drive in four runs, and the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 7-5 on Saturday night.

''You can't get caught up in the big inning here because they're going to happen,'' Mets manager Terry Collins said, referring to a three-run outburst against Gee in the fourth. ''You've got to keep pitching. He just came back in the dugout and got ready for the next inning.''

The Rockies' Michael Cuddyer said Gee (2-2) kept the Rockies hitters guessing, preventing them from putting consistent hitting strokes on the ball.

''He worked quick, threw strikes,'' Cuddyer said. ''He mixed all of his pitches, changed speeds well, mixed his location well. He pitched well.''

Gee, who turned 26 on Saturday, allowed four runs in seven innings. He struck out seven and walked two, and seemed to be at his best late in his outing, retiring nine of the last 10 batters he faced.

''You saw what kind of offensive club they have here,'' Gee said. ''I knew I was going to have to be sharp, especially with the team they have and the way this park is. Three runs in an inning is never acceptable, but I was proud of the way I settled down after that and gave the team a chance to come back and win the game.''

Ruben Tejada, Daniel Murphy and David Wright each added three hits and scored five times collectively, helping the Mets bounce back from Friday night's sloppy 18-9 loss to Colorado.

Frank Francisco gave up a two-out solo homer to Dexter Fowler and a triple to pinch-hitter Tyler Colvin before retiring pinch-hitter Jason Giambi on a sinking liner to center field that Kirk Nieuwenhuis caught on a dead run for his fifth save in as many chances.

Guillermo Moscoso (0-1), recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs earlier in the day, took the loss in his Rockies debut, giving up six runs on nine hits in five innings. He got the start in place of Jeremy Guthrie, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list after spraining his right shoulder in a fall from his bicycle on Friday.

Moscoso was acquired in January as part of the trade that sent outfielder Seth Smith to the Oakland Athletics.

''Guillermo did a great job of getting ahead in counts, getting to two-strike counts, but they got some hits with two strikes off of him,'' Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. ''He gave us a very competitive outing but it had a chance to be an outstanding outing if he gets those couple of innings down.''

Trailing 4-3 going into the fifth, the Mets had four consecutive two-out hits, including Wright's RBI single and Duda's tiebreaking two-run single to go up 6-4. The Mets added a run in the ninth when pinch-hitter Mike Baxter doubled, went to third on a groundout and scored on reliever Edgmer Escalon's wild pitch.

Duda hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot, off Moscoso in the second and Wright's run-scoring double in the third gave New York a 3-1 lead. But the Rockies regained the lead with a three-run fourth. Carlos Gonzales led off the inning with a bunt single, Troy Tulowittzki singled and Todd Helton followed with an RBI double. Michael Cuddyer had an RBI single and came home two outs later on a single by Moscoso, who delivered his first major league hit and RBI.

The Mets got off to a shaky start when catcher Josh Thole's throwing error in the first inning opened the door to the Rockies' first run. New York committed six errors - one shy of the team high - in Friday night's 18-9 loss to Colorado.

Marco Scutaro singled to start the inning and then stole second base, advancing to third when Thole's throw sailed into center field. Scutaro scored an unearned run on Tulowitzki's fielder's choice.

NOTES: Rockies' LHP Jamie Moyer (1-2), who became the oldest pitcher to earn a win in major league history two weeks ago, will be on the mound for Sunday's finale. The Mets counter with Johan Santana (0-2), who has pitched well but will be looking for his first win of the season. ... Helton hit his 560th career double in the fourth, tying him with Eddie Murray and Jeff Kent for 22nd all-time. ... Nieuwenhuis, who attended Denver Christian High School, had his father and other members of his family on hand in seats behind the visitor's dugout.

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