Yanks earn sweep in battle of Big Apple
Sanchez homers, drives in five
New York — Gary Sanchez homered and matched a career high with five RBIs, Luis Severino got right back on track and the New York Yankees made it a four-game sweep in the Subway Series with a 7-5 victory Thursday night over the Mets.
Sanchez hit a three-run homer off struggling starter Steven Matz in the first inning and a tworun single in the fourth. Brett Gardner broke his 3-for-29 slump with a two-run double, and the Yankees won twice at Citi Field just as they did back home in the Bronx earlier this week.
Four games behind first-place Boston in the AL East, the Yan-
kees begin a three-game series Friday night at Fenway Park. The Red Sox took two of three last weekend when the longtime rivals played at Yankee Stadium.
Curtis Granderson hit his seventh career grand slam off Bryan Mitchell in the ninth, pulling the Mets to 7-5. Dellin Betances was immediately summoned and got three quick outs for his eighth save.
Since interleague play began in 1997, it was only the third time one team swept the season series between these New York counterparts. The Yankees won all six meetings in 2003, and the Mets went 4-0 in 2013.
Severino (10-5) was working on a two-hit shutout with one out in the seventh when Aaron Judge dropped a fly ball in the right-field corner for a two-base error.
The All-Star righty never got another out, throwing a wild pitch and giving up two straight singles before he was removed.
In his previous outing Saturday, the 23-year-old Severino had the worst start of his career. He allowed 10 runs, eight earned, and eight hits over 4.1 innings during a 10-5 loss to Boston.
Before that, Severino was 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA in a span of six games.
Matz (2-7) was unable to turn things around, dropping to 0-6 in his last nine starts. The left-hander hasn't won since June 28 at Miami.
He was his own worst enemy Thursday, throwing away Gardner's comebacker for a two-base error to begin the game. Aaron Hicks walked and, after Judge struck out for the 34th consecutive game, Sanchez hit his third home run against the Mets this week.
Trainer's room
Yankees: All-Star 2B Starlin Castro (strained right hamstring) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Friday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Mets: The next rehab outing for closer Jeurys Familia will probably be Saturday with Class-A St. Lucie, manager Terry Collins said. Familia pitched a scoreless inning for St. Lucie on Wednesday in his first appearance since surgery for a blood clot in his shoulder . ... SS Jose Reyes was placed on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Wednesday, with a sore left ribcage.