A second straight night of stagnant offense sank the Mets again, this time in a 4-2 loss Tuesday night to the Yankees in the finale of this season’s Subway Series.
After getting only four hits Monday, the Mets managed nine Tuesday night, but still scored only twice. The Mets lost both games at Yankee Stadium in this series, meaning the teams split four games this year.
The Mets are 60-78 all-time against the Yankees during the regular season, including 29-42 in the Bronx.
Since the Braves won Tuesday, the Mets’ loss trimmed New York’s lead in the NL East to two games over Atlanta. It’s the closest the Braves have been since July 26, when they were also two games back.
Here are the Mets takeaways:
- The game had a dramatic finish, even with the Mets’ struggles on offense. With two out in the ninth inning, they loaded the bases, putting the potential go-ahead run on first. Tyler Naquin drew a two-out walk, Brandon Nimmo hit an infield single and Starling Marte walked against Clarke Schmidt. The Yankees took out Schmidt, who had gotten the previous nine outs, and brought in lefty Wandy Peralta to face Francisco Lindor. Lindor fell behind, 0-2, and then lined one foul down the left-field line that doubtlessly quickened pulses throughout Yankee Stadium. Lindor then flew out to center to end the game.
- The Mets left runners on base all night, failing to cash in on several quality chances. In the first inning, the Mets had two runners on with one out and did not score. In the second, they had first and second and no one out and didn’t score. In the eighth, they got the first two men on again and did not score. Overall, the Mets left 10 runners on base and were just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position Tuesday night.
- Taijuan Walker had not pitched for a week because of back spasms, but he was deemed fit to make his 22nd start of the season and he came out firing. He retired each of the first nine hitters and it took him just 29 pitches, including only six in the first inning. Overall, he allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. Afterward, his ERA stood at 3.38.
- Walker did, however, have trouble with Aaron Judge. Who doesn’t? He is having a remarkable season, after all. With two outs in the fourth inning, Judge smashed a ball over the left-field wall for his 48th home run of the season and a 1-0 Yankee lead. It was clocked at 115.9 miles per hour and traveled 453 feet. It was the fourth time in 11 career at-bats that Judge had homered off Walker.
- Walker found more trouble in the frame, too. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for rookie Oswaldo Cabrera. But Walker missed on a 3-2 pitch and the walk forced in a run, giving Cabrera his first MLB RBI and the Yankees a 2-0 lead.
- The Mets cut the lead in half in the fifth inning, which was started with Mark Canha doubling off his former Oakland teammate, Frankie Montas. It was Canha’s eighth extra-base hit on the Mets’ road trip. Then Brett Baty reached on catcher’s interference and Tomas Nido sacrificed the runners over. One out later, Marte singled to right. Canha scored easily, but Baty was nailed at the plate on a one-hop throw from Cabrera.
- Pete Alonso entered the game in a 6-for-44 funk (.136) and then fouled out and struck out in his first two at-bats. But he started a rally in the sixth with a one-out single. One out later, Jeff McNeil launched his 34th double of the season into the gap in right-center. Alonso raced around third, but stumbled and then started to go back as McNeil whirled around second. The ball was thrown in to cutoff man Gleyber Torres, who, even with Alonso in no-man’s land, ran in and tried to tag McNeil going back to second. Alonso broke for home and scored without a throw, tying the score at 2-2. McNeil was easily safe back at second.
-A Mets’ miscue in the seventh inning allowed the Yankees to get a two-run rally going. Cabrera singled off reliever Joely Rodriguez and was bunted over by Isiah Kiner-Falefa. But things got kooky after that – Jose Trevino batted for Kyle Higashioka and lofted a pop fly down the right-field line. It seemed Alonso had a bead on it, but he got turned around and the ball plopped to earth between Alonso, McNeil and Marte for a hit. Someone should’ve taken charge. With runners on first and third, Andrew Benintendi hit and RBI single to left for a 3-2 lead. Adam Ottavino came in and struck out DJ LeMahieu for the second out, but then he gave up a line single to center to Judge that knocked in another run.