NEW YORK -- For Johan Santana, it was just another outstanding July. To Jorge De La Rosa, it was a second month in a row to remember.
De La Rosa set a franchise record by winning his seventh consecutive start and the Colorado Rockies beat New York 4-2 on Thursday night, earning a split in the day-night doubleheader and snapping the Mets' five-game winning streak.
"I feel great. I feel more relaxed right now," De La Rosa (9-7) said. "I think I'm pitching very good so I just have to be focused every game I go out and pitch."
The Mets won the opener 7-0 behind Santana, who struck out eight in seven sharp innings. Angel Berroa had a two-run double in New York's five-run second and David Wright also drove in two runs.
• Game 1: Mets 7, Rockies 0
In the second game, Clint Barmes hit a tiebreaking two-run homer and De La Rosa pitched 6 1/3 solid innings for the Rockies, who avoided a four-game series sweep with the victory in the makeup of Wednesday night's rainout. Troy Tulowitzki had a nice all-around night cap, robbing Luis Castillo of a hit with a great play at shortstop and contributing a couple of key at-bats.
"It was a big win, one of our bigger ones," Tulowitzki said.
Fernando Tatis had an outstanding diving catch in left and a solo homer for the Mets, who finished with just six hits.
Jeff Francoeur's fourth-inning sacrifice fly gave New York the lead but Ryan Spilborghs singled in Tulowitzki in the sixth, tying it at 1 and ending Colorado's scoreless streak at 27 innings. It was the Mets' longest shutout streak since a 28-inning stretch from May 22-26, 2004.
• Mets: GM Minaya apologizes, reporter accepts
The Rockies went ahead for good in the seventh. De La Rosa hit a leadoff double off Jonathon Niese (1-1). After Tatis robbed Seth Smith of his third hit, Barmes belted a drive to left for his 14th homer.
Niese departed after Todd Helton singled and Tulowitzki hit Brian Stokes' first pitch off the wall in left for a run-scoring triple, increasing Colorado's lead to 4-1.
"I made a few mistakes and they made me pay for them," Niese said.
De La Rosa surrendered Tatis' sixth homer in the bottom half and left after Daniel Murphy flied out. The left-hander yielded three hits to improve to 9-1 in his last 10 starts, the only loss coming on June 16 against Tampa Bay. He is 5-0 with a 2.50 ERA in six games this month, including his only relief appearance of the year on July 12 against Atlanta.
"Jorge De La Rosa was terrific," manager Jim Tracy said. "He kept us in the game."
Four relievers combined to finish, with Huston Street working the ninth for his 26th save.
Notes
- Mets general manager Omar Minaya has apologized to a beat reporter for questioning his motives and credibility during a bizarre news conference Monday. The writer accepted the apology, saying the GM's "remorse was sincere" when they met Wednesday.
- Mets C Brian Schneider got a cortisone shot for his balky left knee on Wednesday and is expected to play Friday night against Arizona.
- The Mets designated RHP Elmer Dessens for assignment and recalled C Robinson Cancel from Triple-A Buffalo for some insurance behind the plate.
- Tulowitzki is batting .588 (10 for 17) over his last six games.
