Monday, July 23, 2018

Rainout Means Yankees Only Get Sloppy Split With Mets

Just what the Yankees didn't need coming out of the All-Star Break: Hosting the Mets.

Another thing they didn't need was Domingo German as a starting pitcher. But that's who Aaron Boone sent out on Friday night at Yankee Stadium II, and he gave up 3 runs in the 1st inning. He gave up a home run to Yoenis Cespedes in the top of the 3rd inning, to make it 4-0, and it was basically over.

The Yankees got a run in the bottom of the 3rd, but the Mets tacked on a couple more in the top of the 5th. The Yankees would make it close, but not close enough.

Mets 7, Yankees 5. WP: Noah Syndergaard (6-1). SV: Robert Gsellman (5). LP: German (2-6).

The Saturday afternoon game didn't start out much better, as Sonny Gray gave up a home run to Michael Conforto in the top of the 2nd. Still, if you had told me before the game that Gray would hold the Mets to just 1 run in the 1st 4 innings, I would have gladly taken it.

The Yankees got going in the bottom of the 4th. Giancarlo Stanton led off with a single. Gary Sanchez struck out, but Didi Gregorius tripled Stanton home. Miguel Andujar doubled Didi home, Greg Bird doubled Andjuar home, and Austin Romine singled Bird home.

The Yankees led 4-1 going into the top of the 6th, and Gray got the 1st out, but walked the next 2 batters. Manager Aaron Boone panicked, although, given that it was Gray, this may have been understandable. He brought in David Robertson, who actually got 2 wins in the series in Cleveland, but he didn't have it this time, allowing both walked players to score. The Mets were within 4-3.

Anduar led off the bottom of the 6th with a double, and Bird singled him home. Aaron Judge led off the bottom of the 7th with a home run. The Yankees added a run in the bottom of the 8th, and at 7-3, the game looked safe.

It wasn't. Rare is the appearance in which Aroldis Chapman keeps it simple. Here's how his inning went: Walked Kevin Plawecki (Cliche Alert), alloed a single to Amed Rosario, walked Ty Kelly, walked Jose Reyes with the bases loaded, and hit Brandon Nimmo with the bases loaded.

Boone then did the unthinkable: He took out his closer, and brought in Chasen Shreve. Yankee Fans everywhere had one thought: "I can't look!"

Shreve got Devin Mesoraco to ground into a double play, but it still allowed a run -- hardly his fault. Finally, he got Wilmer Flores to ground to 2nd to end it.

Cliche Alert: Baseball is a funny game. Aroldis Chapman bailed out by Chasen Shreve? It happened. And it is easily Shreve's greatest moment as a Yankee.

Whew. Yankees 7, Mets 6. WP: Gray (7-7). SV: Shreve (1). LP: Steven Matz (4-8).

The Sunday game was rained out. It will be made up on an off day for both teams, Monday, August 13.

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