Five-Run Sixth Fuels Mets to 8-3 Victory in Game 1 of Subway Series
Justin Wilson stepped onto the mound at Yankee Stadium on Saturday and zeroed in on the catcher’s mitt as he prepared to face his former team, with more than 40,000 fans looking on. Wilson was one of the Mets’ best relievers in 2019 and 2020, but over the offseason was signed by the cross-town rival […]
The post Five-Run Sixth Fuels Mets to 8-3 Victory in Game 1 of Subway Series first appeared on Metsmerized Online.
Jul 3, 2021; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after drawing a walk with the bases loaded in the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Justin Wilson stepped onto the mound at Yankee Stadium on Saturday and zeroed in on the catcher’s mitt as he prepared to face his former team, with more than 40,000 fans looking on. Wilson was one of the Mets’ best relievers in 2019 and 2020, but over the offseason was signed by the cross-town rival New York Yankees. He looked to prove that the Mets made a mistake in not bringing him back.
He would go on to not record a single out.
The Mets struck Wilson for five runs in the sixth inning on Saturday to catapult the club to an 8-3 win in Game 1 of the Subway Series. Taijuan Walker went the first 5 1/3 innings without allowing a hit, while Brandon Nimmo and Dominic Smith each collected three hits in the win.
The Mets went up against Yankees left-hander Jordan Montgomery to kick things off. Nimmo, in his first at-bat since being activated off the injured list, led off the game with a single. Francisco Lindor walked, but Montgomery settled down, striking out two to navigate through a scoreless first.
Baserunners were aplenty for the Mets in the early innings, but runs weren’t. They wasted a Jeff McNeil walk in the second, as well as singles from Lindor and Smith in the third.
Taijuan Walker was in a groove for the Mets, as it looked to be a pitchers duel early on. He walked a batter in each of the second and third innings, but didn’t allow a hit through the first five innings.
The Mets finally broke through in the fifth and never looked back. Nimmo and Lindor each singled again, and Smith brought home the game’s first run with an RBI knock of his own. Pete Alonso walked, forcing Yankees manager Aaron Boone to yank his starter after 4 1/3 innings.
James McCann greeted reliever Lucas Luetge rudely, breaking his bat on a blooper up the middle to extend the lead to 2-0. A wild pitch brought in a third run as the Mets found themselves up 3-0.
Wilson came in for the sixth, and that’s when things got ugly. McNeil, Jose Peraza and Nimmo each singled to load the bases with no outs, and a bases-loaded walk from Wilson brought in a run. Smith then slashed an opposite-field double, breaking it open to 6-0 and knocking Wilson out of the game before he was even able to record an out.
With two outs, Kevin Pillar rubbed salt in the wound with a two-run single that made it 8-0.
After the Mets’ five-run sixth, the Yankees responded with their first hit of the game, a solo home run with one out by Aaron Judge. Walker was pulled after allowing a two-out single to Giancarlo Stanton, but moved his ERA down to 2.33 with another strong outing.
Miguel Castro loaded the bases with a hit batsman and a walk, and gave up a bloop single that allowed the Yankees to claw the score back to 8-3. It also bumped Walker’s ERA back up to 2.44. Jeurys Familia came in to strike out Miguel Andujar though, avoiding any further damage.
In his return from the injured list, Familia retired all four batters he faced, three via the strikeout.
Drew Smith pitched a perfect eighth and ninth to shut the door on the 8-3 victory.
The first-place Mets (42-36) will play a doubleheader against the Yankees (41-40) on Sunday, with the first game starting at 2:05 p.m. ET.
The post Five-Run Sixth Fuels Mets to 8-3 Victory in Game 1 of Subway Series first appeared on Metsmerized Online.