Yankees Split With Mets As Rodon Earns First Win In Pinstripes

 

Carlos Rodon after he notched a big out. @Yankees.

The Mets took the opener of the two-game Subway Series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, 9-3, backed by a superb outing by Justin Verlander and two home runs from Pete Alonso.

On Wednesday night, the Yankees returned the favor, as they got a 3-1 win, with Carlos Rodon earning his first win in pinstripes.

Rodon, who made his Yankees debut on July 9 after coming over from San Francisco last winter, lost his first three starts, and he turned it around on Wednesday by throwing 5 2/3 innings, and allowing one run (earned) on four hits and three walks, with four strikeouts.

The Yankees got an early lead against Mets starter Jose Quintana, who was only making his second start for them after they signed him in the offseason. 

In the second inning, the Yankees loaded the bases, as DJ LeMahieu walked, Harrison Bader doubled, and Anthony Volpe walked. After Kyle Higashioka was called out on strikes, Oswald Peraza bounced one to third baseman Mark Vientos, who attempted to get the out at second base, but Vople beat it out and LeMahieu scored. Bader then came home on a sacrifice fly from Isiah Kiner-Falefa to make it 2-0 Yankees.

The Mets got one back in the third inning when Francisco Alvarez opened the inning with a walk and then came home on a Brandon Nimmo sacrifice fly.

In the fourth, Bader opened the inning with a single, and he took second base on a throwing error by Vientos. He then would come in to score on a single by Volpe to make it 3-1.

Rodon then worked out of trouble in the fifth, and after he retired the first two in the sixth, Mark Canha got a single that chased him from the game.

Michael King came out of the Yankees bullpen, in his 100th career appearance, and he got Alvares to pop out to end the inning.

That was the only batter he would face, as Wandy Peralta pitched a perfect seventh inning in which he struck out two, Tommy Kahnle outched a perfect eighth with one K, and Clay Holmes threw a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 14th save of the season.

With each team taking a game at The Stadium, that means the Yankees and Mets split the four overall, as they also took one apiece when they played at Citi Field on June 13 and 14. The Yankees are 54-48, 2 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot and eight games back in the American League East. The Mets fell to 47-54, 7 1/2 games behind in the Wild Card race, and they trail the Atlanta Braves by 17 1/2 in the National League East. Atlanta lost a pair of games in Boston to the Red Sox (55-47), who remain one game ahead of the Yankees.

The Mets are 11-11 since owner Steve Cohen's big vote of confidence on June 28, and they return to Citi Field on Thursday night to begin a four-game set with the Washington Nationals.