By Patrick Palugod
EBC New York Bureau
FLUSHING, New York (Eagle News) – The visiting New York Yankees looked to ride their first game win into game two of a best of three-game “Subway Series” as they again suited up in Citi Field to take on the host, New York Mets.
Nearly 42,000 attendees got to the stadium early to represent their hometown favorites. Dressed in either navy and pinstripes or blue and orange, this mid-season game had fans feeling the playoff atmosphere that was in the air. That and the smell of hot dogs and hamburgers grilling in the parking lot as tailgating on this perfect day was also in full effect for this split New York crowd.
The Mets struck early and struck hard as Todd Frazier and Asdrubal Cabrera hit a pair of home runs in the first inning against pitcher Domingo German. Brandon Nimmo also scored on the Cabrera home run as they went into the second inning up 3-0 against the “Bronx Bombers.” Gleyber Torres of the Yankees answered back with a home run of his own against Steven Matz in the third inning. After a few quiet innings, Miguel Andujar of the Yankees homered in the top of the 6th, also bringing in Gary Sanchez to tie the ball game at 3-3.
At the top of the 8th inning with Aaron Judge up at bat, the Mets sent former Yankee Anthony Swarzak to the pitcher’s mound. On his very first pitch, Judge swings and connects, sending the ball into the stands for his 18th home run of the season. The All-Star would break the tie and put them in front for good.
“We’ve got a really good team that competes,” said Judge. “Even if we get down early, we’re always fighting. If we have a lead, we don’t settle. And once you get to our bullpen when we’ve got a lead, it’s kind of game over.”
The Yankees are now a MLB best at 42 wins and only 18 losses, and also hold the league’s record for home runs with a whopping 103, still only halfway through the season. This was also the sixth straight victory for the Yankees in the battle of the boroughs.
The post game “Fireworks Night” was a bittersweet consolation prize for Mets fans and the cherry on top for celebrating Yankees fans headed back to the Bronx. A mixture of cheers and boos could still be heard in between the explosive fireworks and laser lights show set to a mashup of rock and rap from the 60’s to present time by various artists who were all products of New York.
As the Mets’ losing streak ballooned to eight straight games,this was their longest losing streak since dropping 11 straight in 2004.
”Baseball’s a funny game like that,” Mets outfielder, Nimmo said. ”We’re just going to try and not sit around and wait for it, we’re going to try and make things happen.”
(Eagle News Service)
