The New York Yankees had the best record in baseball entering Tuesday, so they’re not expected to overreact to a single loss — even one absorbed in the playoff-like atmosphere of a Subway Series game against the New York Mets.
But the National League East-leading Mets weren’t shy about suggesting the potential impact their win could have on a team seeking to emerge as a championship contender.
The Mets will look to complete a sweep of their rivals Wednesday night, when they host the Yankees in the finale of a two-game set.
Max Scherzer (6-2, 2.28 ERA), who turns 38 Wednesday, is scheduled to start for the Mets against Domingo German (0-1, 15.00 ERA) in a battle of right-handers.
Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run homer to cap a four-run first inning Tuesday night for the Mets, who went on to earn a 6-3 victory.
The Mets produced their runs just minutes after falling into a 2-0 hole via homers by Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo on consecutive pitches off Taijuan Walker. The right-hander allowed nine baserunners in the first four innings but retired the final seven batters he faced.
And closer Edwin Diaz, asked to record at least four outs for the second time this season, struck out four batters and stranded two runners on in the ninth, when he gave up a single and committed an error on Judge’s comebacker.
“Anytime you beat the team with the best record in baseball, it’s a good thing,” said Mets pitcher Adam Ottavino, who relieved Walker and tossed 1 2/3 innings before giving way to Diaz. “Especially being down 2-0 in the first inning and answering right back — that kind of shows that we really came to play today. As a group, it was a good team win and we’ll try to capitalize on that going forward.”
The loss was the 11th in 21 games this month for the Yankees, who stranded six baserunners against Walker and ran themselves out of a potential big inning in the seventh, when Rizzo was thrown out on the back end of a double steal for the second out.
With one on and two outs in a 5-3 game in the eighth, manager Aaron Boone sent up the struggling Joey Gallo — who is batting .161 with 103 strikeouts in 230 at-bats — to pinch-hit for Isiah Kiner-Falafa, who had two hits.
Mets manager Buck Showalter responded by bringing in Diaz, who struck out Gallo on five pitches.
“It’s as tough (a loss) as any other one,” Rizzo said. “I think it’ll be scaled up a little bit because of the Subway Series — rightfully so. It’s great, this atmosphere, this time of year. (The Mets) are really good, have been playing really good all year. And same with us.
“So I think it’ll be a little blown up, but it’s just like every other loss.”
Scherzer took the loss last Friday, when he allowed two runs over six innings as the Mets fell to the San Diego Padres, 4-1.
German took the defeat in his season debut last Thursday after surrendering five runs over three innings in the Yankees’ 7-5 loss to the Houston Astros in the second game of a doubleheader.
Scherzer is 4-4 with a 3.93 ERA in nine career starts against the Yankees. German is 1-1 with a 4.60 ERA in three starts against the Mets.
–Field Level Media