Carlos Delgado hit his first home run of the season and John Maine pitched into the eighth inning, leading the Mets over the punchless Colorado Rockies 6–1 last night.

Jose Valentin had a three-run homer and four RBIs, while Moises Alou went 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs to help the Mets rebound after losing two of three to division rival Atlanta at home last weekend.

Matt Holliday had his third consecutive three-hit game for Colorado, has lost 14 of 15 at Shea Stadium from 2003 on. Once known as the Blake Street Bombers, the Rockies have not homered in six straight games, matching a franchise record that was accomplished twice in 2002.

Playing their first game outside the NL West, the Rockies (8–12) lost for the fourth time in five overall. They have only seven homers all season, fewest in the major leagues.

After taking a no-hit bid into the seventh inning during his previous start Wednesday night at Florida, Maine (3–0) allowed seven hits in 7 2-3 innings. He walked two and struck out five, including no. 8 batter Clint Barmes three times.

Barmes also fanned in the ninth against Ambiorix Burgos, who walked three before retiring Garrett Atkins on a game-ending foul popup.

Valentin connected in the second inning off Taylor Buchholz (1-1), making his first start of the year. He was moved from the bullpen to the rotation to fill in for injured Rodrigo Lopez (elbow strain).

Delgado was shaken up after getting hit on the left wrist by Buchholz’s pitch in the fifth. But in his next plate appearance, he hit a two-run shot off Bob Keppel to make it 6-1 in the seventh.

While Delgado broke out, the Mets’ David Wright remained in a bad slump. He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk, leaving him hitless in 15 at-bats with eight Ks. Wright has no homers and four RBIs this year.

Maine pitched a four-hit shutout to beat Buchholz and the Houston Astros 7-0 on July 21 last season at Shea Stadium. Valentin and Delgado also homered in that game.

Valentin’s home run Monday gave him two homers and seven RBIs in three career at-bats against Buchholz.

Valentin added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to drive in Alou, who doubled off the top of the left-center fence. Alou got hung up on Shawn Green’s hard comebacker, but reached third safely when Buchholz mistakenly threw to first.

Rockies center fielder Steve Finley robbed Carlos Beltran of a possible two-run homer with a leaping catch in the fifth.

Finley doubled leading off the sixth and scored on Holliday’s single. With two on, Maine got out of the inning by retiring Brad Hawpe and Yorvit Torrealba.

Holliday leads the NL with a .400 batting average, three points ahead of Alou.

Notes

Buchholz singled in the fifth for his second hit in 33 major league at-bats. … With the game scoreless in the first inning.