BRONX, N.Y. — It was a disappointing Subway Series in the Bronx. In a way, the seventh inning doubleheader might’ve saved them from getting swept. Although one could also make the case the New York Yankees should’ve taken two of three from the New York Mets. There wasn’t much consistent offense to speak of outside of Aaron Judge and Gio Urshela. The ace Gerrit Cole couldn’t be a stopper and the stopper Aroldis Chapman couldn’t stop the bleeding.
While there wasn’t much for Yankee fans to cheer about, I can’t say I can remember a time where Mets fans were consistently that loud at Yankee Stadium. Embarrassing.
GAME 1
There wasn’t much to talk about in this 8-3 Yankee loss. The Yankee lineup got no-hit for 5.1 frames by Taijuan Walker and cobbled together three in total. A Judge solo homer and Urshela two-run single in the sixth inning accounted for the Yankee scoring output.
Perhaps the most embarrassing of this contest was the fifth frame and the up-the-middle defense. Brett Gardner allowed at least two singled to dunk in front of him. On what was ruled a wild pitch by Lucas Luetge, Gary Sanchez, who also had a passed ball in the game, made a less than stellar effort in blocking the ball. Even on an out to end the inning, Gleyber Torres barely aimed the ball to Luke Voit at first base for the final out.
It was not a great day for starter Jordan Montgomery or Justin Wilson out of the pen. Michael King was lights out in garbage time with nine Ks for whatever that’s worth.
GAME 2
This was a very winnable contest but oh so predictable in the way the Yankees went down in their 10-5 defeat. Needless to say, Cole and Chapman did not look so hot sans sticky stuff.
After Cole allowed a first inning homer to Dom Smith, the pinstripes lineup showed some fight. Kyle Higashioka delivered a two-run double and the newest Yankee Tim Locastro drove home a run with a sac fly in the second stanza against Marcus Stroman. The Yankees increased their lead to 4-1 on an on-brand double-play ball by Giancarlo Stanton in the third inning.
Yet, Cole couldn’t locate the offspeed pitched and he could only muscle up the fastball for so long before getting bounced after 3.1 frames, as the Mets tied the game at four in the fourth frame.
The Yankees regained the lead on another on-brand scoring option, as DJ LeMahieu came home on a wild pitch during the fifth frame.
After Jonathan Loaisiga and Chad Green (with two pitches) provided stellar relief, a predictable Chapman blowout happened in the seventh inning.
Leadoff batter Pete Alonso yanked a 1-2 slider into the left-field stands for the equalizer. After hitting Michael Conforto and walking Jeff McNeil, Chapman was done. Later in the frame, Luetge would get knocked around with a Jose Peraza two-run double to left being the decider.
GAME 3
Finally, the Yankees saved face in the nightcap, doubling up the Mets with a 4-2 victory.
Nestor Cortes Jr. was as superb as one can be for tossing 3.1 frames with four Ks.
On offense, Urshela provided the big thump, a three-run homer to right off a 0-2 fastball from Corey Oswalt to right in the second stanza.
Gio for 👌 pic.twitter.com/lXwTy7UgKk
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 4, 2021
While Darren O’Day allowed an inherited runner to score on an Alonso two-run homer to right-center in the fourth frame, that would be the extent of the damage for the Mets.
The Yankees would tack on a fourth run on (you guessed it) Gardner scoring on a Miguel Castro wild pitch in the fifth frame.
Green was lights out and carried the Yankees home. He hurled three scoreless innings and fanned six, including an immaculate inning in the seventh to pick up the save and preserve the victory.
Chad was immaculate to shut it down. @chadgreen24 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1Ckm0Rqh0I
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 5, 2021
ON DECK
At 42-41, the Yankees head to Seattle to take on the Seattle Mariners for a three-game series starting Tuesday night.
Pitching probables, Jameson Taillon vs. Justus Sheffield, Domingo German vs. Yusei Kikuchi, Jordan Montgomery vs. Logan Gilbert.
