It all started out so good. In the top of the 1st, the Yankees jumped on top 2-0 when Aaron Judge hit an opposite-field homer to right at Citifield, and his buddy Anthony Rizzo hit an opposite-field homer to left.
But in the bottom of the 1st it all went awry – as Jordan Montgomery allowed 4 runs – a homer to Starling Marte, double, double and homer to Eduardo Escobar and it was 4-2 Mets – as cries of “Juiced Baseballs” came across the Twitter wire.
And then the scoring stopped to a trickle. The Mets got a run in the 3rd, the Yanks another run in the 4th and the game hung at 5-3 Mets until an insurance run in the 8th.
The Yankees brought the tying run to the plate in the 8th and the 9th, but Mets ace reliever Edwin Diaz was able to get the big strikeouts.
Yankee Twitter went berserk over an Aaron Boone management decision in the 8th, pinch hitting Joey Gallo for Isiah Kiner-Falefa (who was 2-4 on the night to that point and had extended his hitting streak to 13 games) – and Gallo was an easy strikeout for Diaz.
1. Judge & Rizzo Jump Yanks On Top
It was a party early for Yankee fans when Aaron Judge hit a BOMB to opposite field right at Citifield for a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st off Taijuan Walker.
Court is in session 👨⚖️ pic.twitter.com/0mdJ12UF9M
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 26, 2022
And his buddy Anthony Rizzo followed with a shot to opposite field right for a 2-0 Yankee lead.
There it Rizz. #TeamRizzo pic.twitter.com/pub46mj2vE
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 26, 2022
2. Monty Pulled in the 3rd
After getting bombed in the 1st, and coughing up the 2-0 lead, Jordan Montgomery pitched a 1-2-3 shutout 2nd before getting ripped by Sterling Marte again – this time a 1-out double, in the bottom of the 3rd.
He scored on a throwing error by Josh Donaldson to make it 5-2 Mets, and Monty walked Pete Alonso to put 1st and 2nd before striking out Mark Canha for out #2.
And that was it for Monty – manager Aaron Boone coming out for the QUICK Hook. Monty on the mound could be seen asking “why?”
But he was gone, replaced by Ron Marinaccio who proceeded to throw 1.2 shutout innings. Marinaccio has now pitched 17 consecutive shutout innings.
“I couldn’t get them to not foul it off,” said Monty afterwards. “I felt like I had pretty good stuff. I guess I was due a bad one. Real frustrating. I felt I was making decent pitches, but they must have good game plan against me and it’s a really good lineup.”
Manager Aaron Boone explained why he gave Monty the quick hook: “Tough night. They were on him. And the few mistakes he made, they hit for extra bases or out of the ballpark,” said Boone about Montgomery. “That’s the thing about Monty, he always wants the ball, whether it’s going great or a night like tonite where he’s struggling. But at that point, with the kind of at bats they were having against him, being up over 70 pitches in the 3rd inning, I just felt like that was the time.”
3. Yanks Pull to Within 5-3
The Yanks small-balled a run in the 4th off Walker: an Aaron Hicks infield hit, a single by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, a groundout by Jose Trevino to move them up, and a groundout by DJ LeMahieu for a run. Mets 5 Yankees 3.
Aaron Judge then walked to load the bases, and Anthony Rizzo hit a Long Fly to left that was caught in the warning track – he just missed hitting a slam that would have put the Yanks ahead.
4. Controversy: Gallo Pinch Hits for Falefa
The Mets brought in Adam Ottavino to be the Yankee Destructor – and he pitched a shutout 7th and was pitching a shutout 8th when he walked Aaron Hicks (there’s that name again) with 2 outs. Kiner-Falefa was due up and he was 2-3 on the night.
But Boone pinch hit Joey Gallo.
Yankee Twitter was asunder.
The Mets brought in Edwin Diaz, who came in to Mexican Trumpets that were quite impressive.
The trumpets were on another level tonight 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/cVvgh1DIn1
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 27, 2022
Diaz got two quick strikes on Gallo right down the middle. Gallo took two balls, before whiffing on strike 3 in the strike zone low. End of inning.
Afterwards Boone explained his strategy: “You got Ottavino in there who’s obviously a tough righty. It’s not about getting a hit in that situation, it’s about getting on. And you’re up against it there with two outs, and your taking a shot at a long one there. That’s the Ottavino component.”
Boone continued: “And then forcing their hand, at least get the closer in there for a 4-out situation. It’s not tying run on second, it’s we need 2 runs, man on 1st, Otto’s pretty tough against righties — to me it’s an on-base situation, and I feel Joey gives you a shot at that.”
5. Yanks Bring Up Tying Run in 9th
Boone’s strategy worked to a minor degree at least – in the 9th Diaz allowed a leadoff infield single to Jose Trevino. And with 1 out, Judge hit a comebacker that Diaz fielded, and muffed while trying to throw to 2nd — the ball coming out of his hand for an error. With 1 out the Yanks had 2 on and the tying run at the plate.
But Diaz reared back and struck out Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres for the old ballgame.
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