NEW YORK – Colombian Gio Urshela hit a three-run homer and the New York Yankees salvaged a 4-2 win over the Mets on Sunday night to avoid the Subway Series sweep.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Pete Alonso tied the score with a home run to cause closer Aroldis Chapman to implode in the final inning, and the Mets beat the Yankees 10-5.
The Mets also took the first game of the series on Saturday, an 8-3 win.
In the opening duel on Sunday, the Venezuelan José Peraza hit a line that meant the advantage. The two-run double was aided by interference from a visiting fan in the Bronx.
Alonso opened the seventh episode connecting a slider from Cuban Chapman, with a count of 1-2. The ball landed in the visitors’ bullpen to equalize the score at 5.
Chapman then hit Michael Conforto with a pitch, walked Jeff McNeil and was recalled by manager Aaron Boone.
Billy McKinney hit a single that loaded the bases, Lucas Luetge struck out pinch-hitter James McCann and Peraza hit a ball into the left-field wall. Yankees outfielder Tim Locastro could have made the play, but a spectator in a Mets jersey reached out to capture the ball.
Confused, players and other spectators had no idea where the ball had been. Furious, Locastro pointed at the fan, and the umpires gave Peraza a ground double.
Brandon Nimmo followed with a two-run single and Francisco Lindor added an RBI hit before Alonso struck out to end the inning.
Chapman (5-3) did not get a single out, in his first appearance since Wednesday, when he allowed a grand slam that tied the score in the ninth inning. The Yankees lost that game 11-8 to the Los Angeles Angels.
The victory in the first Sunday game was for the Dominican Jeurys Familia (3-1).
Alonso also connected in Game 2 of the day and became the first Mets player since Shawn Green on September 6, 2006 to connect on both ends of a doubleheader.
With fireworks blasting through crowded Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Bombers won for the second time in nine games and are once again a 42-41 winner. They were 10.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox, leaders of the AL East before winning Game 2. Only in 1978 did they recover from such a large deficit to win the division.
Yankees reliever Nestor Cortes Jr. started for the first time this season and kept the Mets uncomfortable with his shifting execution. The southpaw exited after 3 1/3 innings of quick throws, side runs and variable kicks. He allowed only two hits, but Darren O’Day allowed one of his running backs to score on Alonso’s 15th home run.
Chad Green (3-4) finished with three perfect innings, striking out six in his longest outing since Sept. 8, 2019 against Boston.
In the first game of the doubleheader, by the Mets, the Puerto Rican Lindor 3-2 with two RBIs, and Tomás Nido 3-1 with an RBI. Venezuelans Luis Guillorme 3-2, Peraza 1-1 with one scored and two RBIs.
For the Yankees, Colombian Urshela 3-1. Venezuelans Gleyber Torres 2-0 with a scored, Rougned Odor 1-0.
In the second game, by the Mets, the Puerto Rican Lindor 3-0. The Dominican Jonathan Villar 3-0. The Venezuelan Peraza 2-0.
For the Yankees, Colombian Urshela 2-1 with one run scored and three RBIs. The Dominicans Gary Sánchez 3-0, and Miguel Andújar 1-0. Venezuelan Odor 3-1 with one scored.
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