Wandy Peralta got Francisco Lindor to fly out to left with the bases loaded and 2 outs in the top of the 9th to end the ball game. Yankees 4 Mets 2. This after Lindor “Just Missed” tying the game with a line shot down the line in left that was foul by a foot.
At a WILD, ROLLICKING Yankee Stadium on a warm summer Wednesday night — Yankees and Mets fans on their feet LOUDLY rooting for their team — an important game for both 1st-place teams and a tight, pressure-packed game throughout.
“You have to prepare yourself for situations like that,” said Wandy afterwards. “Knowing you can face any hitter and come in in any inning. I just focus on the task at hand, and not focus on the situation. Execute pitches against that batter; that’s what I like to do.”
Wandy saved Clarke Schmidt who pitched 3 shutout innings, but lost his control in the 9th, walking 2 along with an infield single. Schmidt had saved Frankie Montas, who himself pitched 5.2 solid innings, his best start as a Yankee.
“Wandy saved my ass. I gave him a big hug,” said Schmidt afterwards. On the electric atmosphere and tension, Schmidt added, “It was a lot of fun, and I was happy to be out there.”
At the plate Aaron Judge hit his 48th homer to put the Yankees ahead, Oswaldo Cabrera got his first RBI, Andrew Benintendi was at it again with a huge RBI hit, and Judge came back with a huge 2-out RBI hit for insurance.
And in the field, the Yankees turned 2 tremendous and key double plays, and Cabrera made another great play in the field — throwing a runner out at home from right field.
A total team effort. It allowed the Yanks to sweep the 2-game series against the Mets — revenge for the Mets taking 2 close games a month ago. The Yanks maintain their 8 game lead over Tampa, 8.5 over Toronto, 11 over Baltimore (who all won), and 15.5 over Boston.
After the game, Yankee fans celebrated outside The Stadium.
Subway Series pic.twitter.com/thtoTuXFk0
— Sidetalk (@sidetalknyc) August 24, 2022
1. Montas Good
Frankie Montas pitched his best start as a Yankee in this his 4th start. He was pitching a shutout into the 5th, and struck out 5 straight batters — the heart of the Mets lineup: Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, and Daniel Vogelbach — in the 3rd through the 4th innings.
He was also helped by terrific Yankee defense. In the top of the 2nd with 1st and 3rd and only 1 out, Isiah Kiner-Falefa flipped a slow-rolling grounder to Gleyber Torres who BULLETED a throw to 1st for the inning-ending DP.
Turnin' 2 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Q6VamRu6kC
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 23, 2022
In the top of the 5th, with 2nd and 3rd and 2 outs — Marte singled to right for an RBI but Oswaldo Cabrera made a BULLET throw from right field to home to nab the second runner Brett Baty trying to score.
What a throw, Oswaldo 👊 pic.twitter.com/2Q1VerbCrb
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 24, 2022
Montas wasn’t helped by his defense in the 6th — with 2 outs and Yanks up 2-1 at the time — Jeff McNeil doubled to right center which had Pete Alonso racing around the bases from 1st to score — but he ran out of gas, stumbled and went back to 3rd. Gleyber Torres was the cut off man and instead of throwing home he dashed and dived for 2nd trying to catch McNeil — allowing Alonso to continue running to home and score.
2. Judge’s 48th Puts Yanks Ahead
Taijuan Walker started for the Mets — he’s got good stuff and has been having a great year — 10-3 3.36 coming in. He shut the Yanks out through 3 innings but with 2 outs in the bottom of the 4th, Aaron Judge hit a BOMB to left to open the scoring. Yanks 1 Mets 0
Justice is served.
453 ft for Homer 48 👨⚖️ pic.twitter.com/QrhyxISLlo
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 24, 2022
The homer seemed to unnerve Walker momentarily. Anthony Rizzo followed with a single, Gleyber Torres singled, James Donaldson walked, and the Oswaldo Cabrera worked a 7-pitch walk (he was down 1-2 in the count) for a walk and his first RBI in the bigs. Yanks 2 Mets 0.
3. Benintendi & Judge Put Yanks on Top
The Yanks jumped back on top in the top of the 7th off old friend Rodriguez. Cabrera led off with a single, and Kiner-Falefa sacrificed him to 2nd. Jose Trevino hit a pop up to right field that 3 Mets converged on — it was Alonso’s ball but he muffed it and it fell for a hit a foot inside the line.
Andrew Benintendi then singled in the go-ahead run. Yanks 3 Mets 2.
Benny brings Ozzie home 🙌 pic.twitter.com/frvujK9N3p
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 24, 2022
DJ LeMahieu struck out for the 2nd out but Aaron Judge came up with a Huge 2-out single for a 4-2 Yankee lead.
Judge has the BX jumpin' 🔥 pic.twitter.com/HC4OtZdhDT
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 24, 2022
4. Schmidt with 3 Scoreless Innings
Clarke Schmidt was brilliant again. He got the last out of the 6th with McNeil on 2nd and a tie score, and then pitched a shutout 7th and 8th and went to the 9th for the 3-plus inning save.
Nobody was warming up for the Yanks — after sending Schmidt down for no apparent reason — it now seemed he was the only relief pitcher the Yankees had.
Schmidt got the first 2 outs of the 9th and then lost it a bit — a walk, infield single, and walk loaded the bases.
5. Wandy for the Save
In came Wandy Peralta to face Francisco Lindor — 2 outs, bases loaded, 4-2 game. Lindor ripped one down the left field line just foul by a foot and all of Yankee Twitter almost shit their pants.
Then the fly out to Benintendi to left for the old ballgame.
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401356055
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