Mets Take Game 3 Of Subway Series, Prevent Yankees Sweep
NEW YORK (AP) — Seth Lugo pitched six dominant innings in a stellar spot start, Todd Frazier hit a two-run homer off Luis Severino, and the New York Mets beat the Yankees 2-0 on Sunday night to snap an eight-game skid.
Frazier went deep for the second consecutive night to help the Mets prevent a Subway Series sweep at Citi Field. They ended a 10-game home losing streak and avoided an 0-9 homestand that would have matched the worst in team history.
Despite losing another important player to injury when second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera exited with a tight left hamstring, the Mets broke a six-game slide against their New York rivals. The crosstown foes meet again at Yankee Stadium from July 20-22, right after the All-Star break.
Severino (9-2) struck out seven in five innings but was handed his first loss since April 10 at Boston. The power-packed Yankees, with the best record in the majors at 42-19, had won four straight and nine of 10. They had been the only club in the big leagues that hadn't been shut out this year.
Struggling veteran Jose Reyes, who replaced Cabrera, singled with two outs in the fifth, and Frazier lofted a 1-2 slider over the 370-foot sign in left-center.
Robert Gsellman worked two scoreless innings, bailing out Reyes after his double error gave the Yankees a chance in the eighth. Reyes threw well wide of first base on what would have been a 6-4-3 double play, and then a replay review showed he missed second base entirely on the pivot. Gsellman got a foul out and a flyout to strand the runners.
Making his second start in place of injured Noah Syndergaard this season, Lugo (2-1) allowed only two hits and equaled his career high of eight strikeouts without a walk. He retired his last 13 batters, threw 16 of 20 first-pitch strikes and extended his shutout streak to 13 innings.
Anthony Swarzak finished the three-hitter, pitching a hitless ninth for his third career save and first with the Mets.
Greg Bird was doubled off first base to end it when Gary Sanchez lined out to third base, with Frazier starting the game-ending double play.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: RF Aaron Judge was held out of the starting lineup to rest his jammed left thumb. With a day off Monday, manager Aaron Boone said he just wanted to take the opportunity to give Judge consecutive days off. The slugger pinch hit in the eighth and reached on the error by Reyes.
Mets: Cabrera stumbled out of the batter's box and grabbed the back of his left leg when he bounced back to the mound to begin the first. The switch-hitter, who leads the team with 11 homers and 36 RBIs, jogged slowly to first after a third-inning groundout and was replaced at second base in the top of the fourth by Reyes. ... Sidelined for nearly a month by a nagging hip injury, LF Yoenis Cespedes had his minor league rehabilitation assignment cut short following a setback. On the disabled list since May 14 because of a strained right hip flexor, the oft-injured slugger hit two doubles Saturday in his second rehab game for Double-A Binghamton but was removed early with tightness in his right quadriceps. He is headed to the team's complex in Florida, and now there's no timetable for his return. The team had hoped Cespedes would be back Tuesday night in Atlanta. ... Mets closer Jeurys Familia (sore shoulder) and infielder Wilmer Flores (sore lower back) are both headed to Florida and the team is "very optimistic" they will be activated off the DL during the upcoming road trip, manager Mickey Callaway said.
UP NEXT
Yankees: CC Sabathia (3-1, 3.59 ERA) starts Tuesday night when Bryce Harper and the Nationals visit Yankee Stadium for the opener of a two-game interleague series. RHP Tanner Roark (3-6, 3.56) pitches for Washington.
Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler (2-4, 4.57 ERA) gets the ball Tuesday night in a personal homecoming at Atlanta. Wheeler, who tossed seven shutout innings of three-hit ball last time out against Baltimore, is 4-2 with a 2.94 ERA in eight career starts vs. the Braves — though he hasn't faced them since September 2014. RHP Mike Foltynewicz (5-4, 2.31) goes for Atlanta.
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