EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Clint Mathis scored two goals and the New York-New Jersey MetroStars scored three times in a six-minute span in the second half Sunday in a 5-3 victory over Colorado, the Rapids' third straight loss.

The victory gave the MetroStars (15-10-2) 47 points, 11 more than New England in the MLS Eastern Division. Colorado (11-14-3) lost its third straight.

The MetroStars scored in the 19th minute when Mathis took the ball out of the air with his foot and drilled a shot just inside the far post.

The Rapids (11-14-3) tied it in the 43rd minute after the MetroStars failed to clear a free kick. David Vaudreuil jumped on a rebound off the wall and crossed it to the left to Jason Moore whose cross back into the box was headed in by Jorge Dely Valdes.

Five minutes into the second half, Colorado defender Lance Key pulled down Mathis in the box, and Alex Comas scored on the ensuing penalty kick. Mark Chung followed with a goal on a cross by Petter Villegas.

In the 57th minute, Mathis scored his 11th of the season, heading in a free kick by Tab Ramos. In the 65th minute, defender Mike Petke scored after teammate Steve Jolley headed a corner kick by Chung.

After the goal, Petke ripped off his jersey to reveal a T-shirt that said "Aug. 16 Crime of the Century" on the front, referring to the collision between Tampa Bay's Mamadou Diallo and MetroStars goalkeeper Mike Ammann that left Ammann hospitalized and Diallo unpunished. The back of the shirt said, "Revenge is coming."

Colorado's Ross Paule scored on a penalty kick, and Valdes scored again two minutes later.