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DENVER — Carson Benge’s full toolbox is open for business.

There is plenty to like about the Mets rookie, starting with his superior outfield range and throwing arm. But lately his bat has entered the equation, giving the team a glimpse of his full skill set.

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He had a second highlight-reel catch in as many games Monday, before continuing his recent offensive uptick with a home run in helping the Mets to a 4-2 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field. The victory was the team’s third in four games to begin the road trip.

It wasn’t a perfect day for Benge — he stumbled retreating on a fly to center in the seventh, giving Jordan Beck an RBI double that extended the inning. But the Mets survived it to defeat the Rockies for the first time in four tries this year.

Benge, who has reached base five times over the past two games, credited his recent play to uncluttered thoughts. He is 10-for-33 (.303) over his past 11 games.

“Go out there and your mind is blank, you play the game as hard as you can, not worrying about anything,” Benge said.


  Mets’ Carson Benge (3) gestures as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano. AP Mets’ Carson Benge (3) gestures as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano. AP

Among Benge’s promising underlying numbers entering play was an average exit velocity of 90.6 mph, which placed him in MLB’s 69th percentile. Benge’s chase rate of 25.6 percent ranked in the 70th percentile. His whiff percentage of 22.7 percent placed him in the 63rd percentile.

The 23-year-old former first-round draft pick won a starting job in spring training, and any thoughts of optioning him to Triple-A Syracuse to work on his at-bats were quickly displaced by the reality that the Mets need healthy bodies.


  Mets starting pitcher Huascar Brazoban (43) delivers a pitch against the Colorado Rockies. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Mets starting pitcher Huascar Brazoban (43) delivers a pitch against the Colorado Rockies. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I have been impressed with how he’s handled the whole situation, how steady he has been, how professional, how mature he’s been,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Those are some really good signs from a young player getting to face the big league level for the first time.”

Huascar Brazobán, utilized as an opener, pitched a scoreless first inning. Brazobán plunked Tyler Freeman, who stole second, but then got the final two outs in the inning before Austin Warren pitched a scoreless second and third.

Warren received help from Benge, who raced into right-center and snagged Freeman’s shot for the final out in the third with Mickey Moniak on second base. A day earlier, Benge lunged full extension in right field to rob the Angels’ Vaughn Grissom of a possible ninth-inning double.


  Mets’ Mark Vientos follows the flight of his single to drive in two runs off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Jaden Hill AP Mets’ Mark Vientos follows the flight of his single to drive in two runs off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Jaden Hill AP

But Benge downplayed his latest catch, unhappy that he stumbled tracking Beck’s ball in the seventh.

“I fell on my face, so those cancel out,” Benge said. “Bad read, you can’t get them all.”

Benge walked in the third to serve as the only Mets base runner until the sixth, when he homered leading off against Tomoyuki Sugano.

“He’s swinging at better pitches and laying off pitches out of the strike zone,” Mendoza said. “We saw it [Sunday]; a couple of times he walked. That is going to help.”

But the Mets weren’t finished in the inning. Alvarez and Luis Torrens stroked consecutive doubles, extending the lead to 2-0. Juan Soto walked before Mark Vientos’ two-run single widened the lead further.

Vientos, who homered twice Sunday, hit long drives to left field for outs in his first two plate appearances Monday before hammering a line-drive single that scored the two runs.

After Benge stumbled on Beck’s fly to right-center, allowing the first Rockies run, Kyle Karros stroked an RBI single against David Peterson that sliced the Mets lead to 4-2. Peterson stifled the rally by retiring Ezequiel Tovar for the final out.

Peterson pitched four innings with two runs allowed before Craig Kimbrel worked a scoreless eighth and Devin Williams earned the save with a perfect ninth.

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