Volpe, DJ lead Yankees past Mets 7-6 in wild Subway opener
- June 14, 2023
- 12:02 am
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NEW YORK — In the eighth inning, Clay Holmes successfully navigated a challenging situation with the bases loaded, allowing the New York Yankees to mount an impressive comeback against Max Scherzer. The Yankees, despite being down by four runs, emerged victorious with a 7-6 win over the struggling New York Mets in an exciting opening game of the Subway Series held at Citi Field on Tuesday night.
Scherzer faced tough challenges from Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu, who both hit home runs off the ace pitcher. In the sixth inning, pinch-hitter Josh Donaldson made a significant impact by driving in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly. This crucial play came after a defensive mistake by Brandon Nimmo in center field.
Prior to the start of the seventh inning, relief pitcher Drew Smith was ejected from the game, becoming the second Mets pitcher this season to be thrown out for using an illegal foreign substance.
Nimmo launched his eighth career leadoff home run, and McNeil contributed a two-run single for the struggling Mets (31-36), who have suffered nine defeats in their last ten games. They initially built a 5-1 advantage in the third inning, aided by two balks committed by the struggling Yankees pitcher Luis Severino in the second inning. However, their lead quickly diminished as Scherzer allowed five runs and six hits in the fourth inning.
LeMahieu’s two-run home run narrowed the gap to 5-3, and the struggling rookie, Anthony Volpe, delivered an RBI double. Later, Jake Bauers hit a two-run bloop single over the drawn-in infield, forcing Scherzer out of the game and propelling the Yankees to a 6-5 lead.
In front of a sellout crowd of 43,707, the three-time Cy Young Award winner faced boos from Mets fans. The fans had gathered to witness the first matchup of the season between the teams, albeit without injured power hitters Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso.
Severino’s outing came to an end in the fifth inning after Luis Guillorme delivered a clutch two-out RBI single to even the score.
In the eighth inning, the Mets found themselves with the bases loaded and only one out. Holmes was called upon to navigate through this tense situation. He showcased his pitching prowess by striking out Francisco Lindor, the cleanup batter, with a well-executed sinker in a challenging seven-pitch battle. Holmes continued his impressive performance by striking out Starling Marte on a slider, engaging in an eight-pitch encounter. These crucial strikeouts helped maintain the Yankees‘ narrow one-run lead.
In the ninth inning, Michael King took the mound and efficiently retired all three batters he faced, securing his fourth save of the season. Ron Marinaccio, who came in to pitch in the previous inning, held the opposition scoreless during his inning of work and ultimately earned the win, improving his record to 3-3.
In the sixth inning, Josh Walker, who was on the mound for the Mets, surrendered an infield single to Billy McKinney, followed by a double from Volpe. It should be noted that Nimmo had a chance to make a catch on Volpe’s hit, but unfortunately, he missed it.
Smith’s appearance on the mound was short-lived and unusual. Before he could deliver a pitch, umpires halted him in the infield for a routine check. What initially seemed like a standard procedure quickly escalated as umpires and Smith’s teammates gathered around him. Mets manager Buck Showalter also joined the conversation, adding to the intrigue of the moment.
Smith desperately gestured with his pitching hand, trying to make his case, but his efforts were in vain. First base umpire Bill Miller, who was also the crew chief, made the decision to eject Smith from the game. This ejection could result in a substantial setback for the Mets’ bullpen, which is already thin and unsteady. It is probable that Smith will face a 10-game suspension as a consequence of his actions.
Following his ejection at Dodger Stadium on April 19, Scherzer was handed a 10-game suspension. The suspension came as a result of his being caught with a sticky foreign substance on his hand. Scherzer, however, maintained that the substance was a harmless combination of sweat and rosin, asserting its legality and denying any wrongdoing.
UP NEXT
Wednesday night will mark the conclusion of the two-game series as Yankees’ standout pitcher Gerrit Cole (7-1, 2.84 ERA) takes the mound against his former Houston teammate, Justin Verlander (2-3, 4.85). This highly anticipated matchup between two accomplished pitchers adds an extra layer of excitement to the game.
