Surprise Subway stop
Met pen delivers while Yankee relievers falter, for a change
METS 4 YANKEES 2
The second leg of the Subway Series hit Flushing Tuesday night, but the Yankees did not get the outcome they had anticipated, dropping the first of a two-game set, 4-2.
It was the Yankees (54-29) — who returned from the London Series with a commanding six-game lead in the AL East — whose bullpen faltered. In the bottom of the eighth, with a 2-1 lead, the pen allowed the Mets to tie the game and then take a two-run lead.
“I don’t know, it seemed like our pregame work was pretty good,” Aaron Boone said of the possibility the Yankees’ travels had any impact on their performance. “I didn’t sense much. I think it’s certainly possible, but I think the guys were ready to roll.”
James Paxton came out in his second start against the Mets renewed. The last time he faced the Amazin’s, he unraveled early, putting in just 2.2 innings of work, giving up six runs on seven hits, one home run and two walks. This time, Paxton seemed more like himself. He pitched six innings and allowed only one solo home run and eight hits over 103 pitches. He walked two and struck out three.
Didi Gregorius and Edwin Encarnacion staked the Yankees to a 2-0 lead. Gregorius hit a leadoff single off Mets starter Zack Wheeler (6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 8 K), advancing and scoring on consecutive singles from Encarnacion and Gleyber Torres. Encarnacion scored off an unlikely assist from the lefty Paxton, who sacrificed down the third-base line.
There wouldn’t be much action until the sixth, save for Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen entertaining the bleacher faithful who comprise the 7 Line Army, the main fan club of the team. Van Wagenen was making good on a promise he made during spring training to join the group for a game.
J.D. Davis put the Mets on the board with a solo home run, the only run Paxton would allow. Paxton would be replaced by Tommy Kahnle, who pitched a clean seventh before the bullpen implosion started.
Adam Ottavino came in to pitch his usual eighth inning and quickly saw Pete Alonso reach on a DJ LeMahieu error. Davis crushed a double that was just beyond the reach of Aaron Hicks in center, allowing Alonso to tie the game. Ottavino put the Yankees in a dangerous place when he then loaded the bases by intentionally walking Robinson Cano and giving up a Wilson Ramos single.
The Yankees called on Zack Britton. But the next batter, Michael Conforto, hit Britton’s first pitch, a 93 mile-per-hour sinker, over the head of Brett Gardner in left field, which allowed Juan Lagares (pinch-running for Davis) and Cano to score.
“What can I say? We just didn’t get the job done today,” Britton said. “To (Conforto’s) credit, he took the best pitch I probably thought I was gonna throw.”
“Especially lately, we’ve leaned on them heavily, so tough spot and I throw Britton in about as tough a spot as you can be in,” Boone said.
Against closer Edwin Diaz, Gregorius reached on a single, then got to second on a contested stolen base. Encarnacion struck out swinging and Torres flew out to center. Gardner was the Yankees’ last hope, but he struck out swinging on a ball that was tipped and blocked by Ramos.
To make things worse for the Yanks, they had their streak of 31 straight games with at least one home run (along with their 5-game win streak) snapped.