Game Recap: Errors Prove Costly as Yanks Sweep Mets with 5-4 win

With the way the Yankees had beaten the Mets through the first two games of the Subway Series, it was clear that the Bombers didn’t need any help to put runs on the board. So, Jonathon Niese took the mound yesterday, hoping to salvage the finale of this three-game set before the team made their trip down to Tampa. Niese pitched very well, but it was errors that helped propel the Yankees to a sweep of the Mets.

Mets Offensive Highlights

It looked as though it would be a tough day at the office for Andy Pettitte, who gave up three early runs to the Mets, but he was able to keep their bats quiet after a rough 2nd inning. Scott Hairston was the only Met to record a multiple hit game in the team’s eight-hit attack. Hairston lead off the 2nd with a double and scored after a single to center by Vinny Rottino. Omar Quintanilla walked and Mike Nickeas reached on an error by Robinson Cano, allowing Jordany Valdespinto bring in

two runs on a double of his own. The bases were re-loaded after a walk to Andres Torres, but New York couldn’t break the game open. Once the Mets lost the lead in the late innings, Lucas Duda and Ike Davis hit back-to-back doubles in the 9th to tie the ballgame before the Yankees walked off with the win.

Yankees Offensive Highlights

Jonathon Niese kept the Yankees bats quiet until the 7th inning, but the Bombers boasted five players with two-hit games (Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, and Russell Martin). Niese rolled into the 7th without giving up a run, but Andruw Jones reached with two outs due to a David Wright throwing error. That proved costly, as Martin came up and hit a two-run homer immediately after him to cut the Met lead to one. The very next inning, Jeter reached base to lead off the inning after an Omar Quintanilla error, and Bobby Parnell wasn’t able to recover, as Granderson singled, and both Teixeira and Rodriguez singled in a run each to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead. After the Mets tied the game up in the top of the 9th, Russell Martin hit his second wall scraper home run to left field to end the game, giving the Yankees a sweep.

Pitching Highlights

Both starting pitchers threw the ball very well; Andy Pettitte eventually exited the ballgame after he hurt his hand barehanding a comebacker, but he threw 6 innings and gave up 5 hits, 2 walks, 3 runs (2 earned), and struck out 8 hitters. Girardi used four relievers behind Pettitte, with Rafel Soriano blowing his first save of the season, and Boone Logan picking up his first win.

Niese pitched 7 solid innings and scattered 7 hits and 1 walk, gave up 2 runs (0 earned) on 6 strikeouts. Terry Collins used three relivers behind his starter, and Parnell couldn’t record an out (thanks to the defense) and Rauch took the loss.

Worth Noting

Don’t blame the pitching in this ballgame. If Wright’s error in the 7th and/or Quintanilla’s error was not made in the 8th, this would have been a whole different ballgame. When a good team is given extra outs to play with, they make their opponent pay for it, and that’s exactly what the Yankees did to the Mets. Jason Bay ended the series hitless with another 0-for-4 day, now hitting .197 on the season. Ike Davis looked impressive in his pinch hit appearance, ripping a double to right center… but everything went back to normal when he was thrown out at third on a grounder to shortstop.

Robinson Cano is now hitting .296 thanks to five hits this series, including two home runs. The Yankees head to Atlanta only 0.5 games out of first.

The third straight loss for the Mets drops them to 33-29, 4.5 games out of first since Washington swept Boston this weekend.

Probable Pitchers Tuesday

The Mets get an off-day Monday to lick their wounds following this sweep at Yankee Stadium, but it doesn’t get any easier for them as they head down to Tampa to take on the Rays at Tropicana Field. Chris Young (0-0, 3.60 ERA) will make his second start of the season, opposing Alex Cobb (2-2, 4.13 ERA), who hasn’t exactly fared well at home, posting a 4.81 at the Trop. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm.