Game 1 of 2
If you want to know the difference between the Yankees and Mets look no further than Tuesday's matinee between the local rivals as the Bronx Bombers pounded Zach Wheeler and the Amazin's 12-5 in the first game of a day-night double-header in the Bronx.
It was looking good early for the Mets as the Amazin's took advantage of an error by Yankee shortstop Didi Gregorius in the top of the third to score four runs in the frame, highlighted by Jeff McNeil's three-run bomb into the Bleacher Creatures in right to give the Mets a 4-1 lead.
Mashiro Tanaka who returned from paternal leave looked like he was on the ropes.
Until he wasn't.
Tanaka worked out of trouble in the top of the fourth inning before the Yankees brought out the thunder in the bottom half. With Kendrys Morales on first with a single, rookie Gio Urshela took the second pitch he saw from Wheeler and deposited it into the bullpens in left-center to tie the game at four.
Later in the inning, after D.J. LeMahieu reached on an error by Mets third baseman Todd Fraizer and Aaron Hicks walked, Luke Voit crushed a slider from Wheeler to deep left to put the Yankees up fat, 7-4.
Wheeler's nightmare would not end there, however. Urshela drove in his third run of the day on a single to left, scoring Morales to make it 8-4. Next, Brett Garnder tripled home Ursula to put the Yanks up 9-4. Wheeler was done after that, removed after four and two-thirds innings, having been charged with nine runs, five earned. His ERA jumped up to 4.87.
After the early struggles, Tanaka would take the Yankees into the seventh inning before being relieved by Tommy Kahnle. Tanaka's final line: six-and-two-thirds innings, allowing five runs, four earned and seven strikeouts. He didn't walk a single batter.
Urshela had the biggest day at the plate of anyone in the Yankee lineup. The Rookie of the Year candidate went 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored in the victory. Urshela's batting average is up to .320. Gary Sanchez also had a big afternoon for the Yankees, driving in three on two hits, including a two-run homer in the eighth inning to make it 12-5.While the Mets got a lot from Jeff McNeil at the top of the order with three RBI, it was an quiet afternoon for Mets rookie first baseman Pete Alonso who was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his first ever game at Yankees Stadium.
The Mets will try to avoid the sweep later tonight with Jason Vargas on the hill. The last time Vargas took the mound for the Mets, he pitched a complete game shutout against the Giants. Got the feeling that won't happen tonight.
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