Gardner homers to lead Yankees past Mets

NEW YORK — Brett Gardner hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Jacob deGrom on an eighth-inning changeup, and the New York Yankees beat the reeling Mets 4-1 Friday night in the Subway Series opener after losing Masahiro Tanaka to hamstring problems when the pitcher sprinted home to score his first major league run.

Tanaka allowed one hit, a home run into the second deck in right by Brandon Nimmo on his second pitch. The 29-year-old right-hander scored standing up on Aaron Judge’s sacrifice fly, then was replaced before the bottom of the sixth. The Yankees said Tanaka had tightness in both hamstrings.

Gardner’s home run, his fifth this season and fourth in his last 21 games, went just over the wall in right-center and followed Gleyber Torres’ second single off deGrom (4-1).

Giancarlo Stanton added a ninth-inning homer off Paul Sewald, his 22nd at Citi Field — the most among visiting players. It was the 100th home run of the season for the Yankees, the most in the major leagues.

A big league-best 41-18, the Yankees have won 32 of their last 41 games and are 23 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2012 season.

The Mets have lost seven straight and 12 of 14, and they have dropped nine straight home games. They are 16-34 following an 11-1 start.

Tanaka, 1 for 24 with a walk and a sacrifice in his career, reached in the sixth inning when first baseman Adrian Gonzalez allowed his grounder to bounce off the heel of his glove for an error. Tanaka took second on Torres’ single and advanced to third when Gardner walked.

Tanaka appeared to step awkwardly while running home on Judge’s fly to right. Tanaka seemed about to slide, but scored standing up.

Tanaka, who is 7-2, struck out eight and walked one.

Jonathan Holder, Chad Green (4-0), Dellin Betances each pitched an inning, and Aroldis Chapman finished the four-hitter for his 16th save in 17 chances.

It was yet another hardluck start for deGrom, who

leads the NL with a 1.57 ERA. He had allowed just three earned runs over his previous eight starts but was just 2-0 in that span and the Mets lost all six of his nodecisions.

A crowd 42,961 filled Citi Field in the first sellout at the ballpark since opening day.

Before Nimmo’s home run, the Mets had scored just two runs in their previous 42 innings.

Adam Hunger / Associated Press Jacob deGrom, right, reacts after giving up a two-run home run to the Yankees’ Brett Gardner, left, during the eighth inning on Friday.