Carlos Rodon & Yank Bullpen Throw Down. Yankees 6 Mets 2

May 17, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0
Oswald Peraza with leaping catch of line drive by Pete Alonso in the 1st, with Juan Soto on 2nd. It saved a run.

Carlos Rodon pitched 5 innings of 2-hit, 1-run ball, and the Yankee bullpen of Jonathan Loaisiga (remember him?), Mark Leiter Jr., Devin Williams, Yerrys De los Santos, and Luke Weaver did the rest in a 6-2 victory over the Mets on a beautiful Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

The Stadium was Electric from the start as it was a homecoming for Juan Soto — who was booed vociferously by Yankee fans — the Bleacher Creatures in right literally turning their backs on him in the 1st inning. Soto walked his first time up, and went 0-2 in the game with 3 walks and a run scored.

But it was Aaron Judge and the Yankee offense that proved victorious. Judge went 2-4 with a walk and 2 runs scored, including the 1st run of the game which ended up being the game winner. He improved his MLB-leading batting average to .414 with a .500 OBP, and .775 slugging.

The only hick-up to the Yankee pen was De los Santos, who walked 2 in the 9th in between striking out 2, then allowed a 2-out RBI double and had to be relieved by Luke Weaver as Juan Soto stepped up with the tying run on deck.

Weaver got Soto on a shallow fly to right to end it.

“Good stuff again,” said manager Aaron Boone on Rodon. “A little bit of a grind; they made him work for it. Really drove him up there (in pitches). I was probably… it was probably his last hitter there — Alonso — so glad he got him. But all in all — 5 strong innings of 1 run on a night when they pressured him, made him work, but he made big pitches when he needed to.”

The Yankees improve to 26-18, in 1st in the AL East by 5 games over Boston. The Mets fall to 28-17, in 1st in the NL East by 1.5 games over Philly.

1. Bleachers Turn Back on Soto

It was the first time back at Yankee Stadium for Juan Soto since he signed as a free agent with the Mets, and the right-field bleachers literally turned their back on him when he took tie field in the top of the 1st. Soto was booed massively all night.

2. Yanks Small-Ball a 4-0 Lead in the 3rd

It was a 0-0 game in the bottom of the 3rd when the Yanks got to Mets starter Tyler Megill. Jorbit Vivas singled to right, Aaron Judge worked a 1-out walk, and Cody Bellinger reached on an infield single to 3rd.

Paul Goldschmidt reached on an infield single behind 2nd that Lindor made a tremendous stop on, but the throw to 1st eluded Alonso — an error charged to Lindor. Vivas and Judge scored.

Yankees 2 Mets 0.

Jasson Dominguez walked to re-load the bases, and Anthony Volpe hit a sac fly to right for a 3-0 Yankee lead — Juan Soto’s throw coming in on several bounces to home which caused some Yankee fans to deride it.

Austin Wells then walked to re-load the bases, and Oswald Peraza worked a 2-out walk for another run and 4-0 Yankee lead.

3. Judge-Bellinger-Goldy Make It 6-1 in 4th

Judge, Bellinger and Goldschmidt were at the heart of another Yankee rally in the 4th.

Max Kranick was in, replacing McGill, and he got Trent Grisham to ground out to begin the inning, but Aaron Judge singled, Cody Bellinger doubled to right, and Paul Goldschmidt singled to left scoring Judge. Yankees 5 Mets 1.

The Martian then hit into a fielder’s choice scoring Bellinger for a 6-1 Yankee lead.

4. Rodon Gets the Win

Carlos Rodon walked into immediate trouble in the top of the 1st, but got help from the Yankee defense. Juan Soto worked a 1-out walk and stole 2nd, and was there when Pete Alonso ripped a liner down 3rd that Oswald Peraza speared on a dive for the 2nd out — holding Soto at 2nd.

Rodon then sailed — getting the last out of the 1st and pitching a 1-2-3 shutout 2nd and 3rd, until walking Soto again leading off in the 4th. Rodon struck out Pete Alonso (0-4 with 3 strikeouts on the night) — but Mark Vientos singled to center and Brandon Nimmo singled to left for a 4-1 game.

Rodon then issued a 2-out walk to Alvarez to load the bases, but got Acuna to fly out to end the threat.

Rodon got the first 2 outs of the 5th — the first one coming on a tremendous play by Goldschmidt at 1st.

Rodon then walked Soto for the 3rd time, but struck out Pete Alonso to get the win — as Boone said afterwards (quoted above) — it was going to be Rodon’s last batter.

Rodon’s line: 5 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 5 K’s, 4 walks. He wins to go 5-3 3.17.

5. Loaisiga Throws Shutout 6th

Jonathan Loaisiga was on the mound for the 1st time in a year after recuperating from surgery to repair a torn UCL in his shoulder.

Loaisiga allowed a 1-out double to Brandon Nimmo but got a groundout and fly out to end the shutout inning.

6. Leiter Throws Shutout 7th

Mark Leiter Jr. pitched a similar inning to Loaisiga — groundout, double, then two outs — a strike out and groundout — for a shutout 7th.

7. Devin Strikes Out the Side in 8th

And then in came Devin Williams — and he looked SHARP — striking out the side: Pete Alonso looking, Vientos swinging, and Brandon Nimmo swinging. His fastball was electric and his ‘air bender’ was bending.

8. Weaver Rescues De los Santos in 9th

Yerry De los Santos was in to wrap up the 9th, with the Yanks up 6-1. He struck out Starling Marte to start the inning, walked Alvarez, and struck out Brett Baty for the 2nd out.

But with 2 outs he ran into trouble — a walk to Jeff McNeil and RBI double to Francisco Lindor made it a 6-2 game and here came Soto.

And in came Luke Weaver.

Weaver got Soto to fly out so shallow right on the 2nd pitch for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401695566

 

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*