Mets Take 3rd Straight Game of Subway Series
Maybe there’s some life in this Mets team yet. Following Tuesday’s thrilling victory over the Yankees and Mariano Rivera, the Mets pounced all over the Yanks as the Subway Series moved to Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, taking their straight game from the hated Bronx Bombers.
Ruben Tejada, with threats of being sent down still ringing in his ears, singled to lead off the game against David Phelps. Daniel Murphy followed with a double to right-center that Brett Gardner could not track down this time. Tejada scored to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Wright walked and Lucas Duda struck out. John Buck singled to right to score Murphy to make it 2-0. Rick Ankiel walked to load the bases. Marlon Byrd hit a grounder to third baseman Jayson Nix for what could have been an inning-ending double play. Instead, Nix bobbled the ball. Another run scored and runners were on second and third. Ike Davis strolled to the plate with those same minor league threats on his mind. But he came through with a single to left to score two more runs to make it 5-0. That chased Phelps from the game. Someone named Preston Claiborne came on to retire Mike Baxter on a grounder for the second out. With runners on first and third Tejada flew out to end one of the best Mets inning of the year.
Byrd hit a solo home run off of Adam Warren in the third inning to make it 6-0. The ball hit off the top of the wall and was just out of the reach of Brennan Boesch. Earlier in the inning Boesch robbed Buck of an extra base hit with a really nice catch.
The Mets continued to pile on the Yankees in the fourth. Baxter was hit by a pitch leading off. With two outs Wright reached on an infield single. Duda then doubled to left, scoring two runs to make it 8-0.
The Yankees finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Boesch took Jeremy Hefner deep for a solo home run to make it 8-1.
A single and ground rule double put runners on second and third with no outs in the sixth. Boesch hit a roller to Tejada who looked home for some reason, and by the time he threw to first, Boesch was safe. A run scored to make it 8-2. With one out Nix singled to plate another run, making it 8-3.
Hefner was done after the sixth inning, allowing three runs on nine hits, with five strikeouts and no walks.
Scott Rice pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless ball in his MLB leading 30th appearance. He needs a few days off!
The Mets added a run in the ninth on an Ankiel single to pad the lead to 9-3.
The Yankees added a run in the ninth to bring the final score to 9-4. It is the Mets fourth win in a row. Jeremy Hefner gets his first win of the season against five losses, and the Mets win their first game in which Hefner has appeared after losing the previous 10. Now let’s sweep the Subway Series!