If you look at just some parts of the box score of this game with the runs stat blocked out, you might think the Yankees had come away with a win. They outhit the Mets, and they were fairly close in a lot of other stats. The issue for them is that they made several crucial mistakes.
Carlos Rodón got the start in his second appearance back off the injured list and again looked so-so. In addition to issuing three walks in 3.2 innings, he also made a costly error in the field, which came immediately after another miscue on a wild pitch. After him, the bullpen just kept allowing one too many baserunners, which allowed the Mets to keep adding pressure and eventually runs. Meanwhile at the plate, the Yankees ended up leaving 11 baserunners on for the game. The worst of those came in the seventh, when they couldn’t cash in on having the bases loaded with nobody out. Too many of those miscues in one game are going to end up costing a team, and it did the Yankees as they fell 6-3 on Saturday.
The Mets started — or should I say opened — the game with an opener in Huascar Brazobán, and he got through the first 1.1 innings without issue. They then went to the “bulk guy” in David Peterson, and the Yankees struck early against him. With one out in the second, Jazz Chisholm Jr. laced a double to right. After Chisholm moved to third on a groundout, Trent Grisham squeezed through a single to score Jazz.
Rodón looked pretty good the first time through the order, but the Mets then got to him as they started the second time. He got two quick outs to start the third, but Carson Benge then kept the inning alive with a double. Rodón then walked Bo Bichette and Juan Soto, loading the bases. He then got even wilder, as he sent a pitch flying over Austin Wells’ head. the ball ricocheted so far off the backstop that Rodón himself ended up fielding the ball. In an ill-advised attempt to get Benge at home, he then airmailed Wells again, allowing another run to come home, giving the Mets the lead.
An inning later, it was another two-out walk that spelled doom for the Yankees’ starter. Again in the fourth, Rodón got two quick outs to start the frame but proceeded to put Austin Slater on, despite even being ahead in the count early on. This time, Brent Baty did the damage, hitting a deep fly over the head of Aaron Judge in right, allowing Slater to come all the way around and score.
The Yankees then got one of those runs back when Paul Goldschmidt hit a single to bring home Ben Rice. However, the Mets immediately answered back with more. Jake Bird finished off the fourth inning and got another out in the fifth, but also gave up a single in the process, which eventually led to Brent Headrick coming in. Headrick walked Soto as well, before giving up a two-RBI double to Mark Vientos.
The Yankees then got another run back in the seventh, thanks to some help. After Judge led off the inning with a double, the spirit of Luis Castillo inhabited Benge, as he dropped a Cody Bellinger fly ball, allowing Judge to race around and score. There was then the most frustrating sequence of the game, as Goldschmidt was hit by a pitch and Chisholm reached on a bunt single to load the bases with still nobody out. However, Amed Rosario, Trent Grisham, and Anthony Volpe couldn’t do anything with that spot, stranding all three runners.
That failure ended up proving costly. That chance ended up being their last legitimate one, with a Wells single providing the only other baserunner after that. That missed opportunity was also the story of the day, the Yankees’ mistakes in the important situations proved costly.
The Yankees and Mets will wrap up this edition of the Subway Series tomorrow afternoon, with the rubber match starting at 1:40 pm ET. Moving around their rotation a bit, the Yankees will give the recently recalled Elmer Rodríguez the start opposite Freddy Peralta for the Mets.
Box score
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