NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Rodón earned his first victory in four starts with the New York Yankees, who got an offensive spark from Harrison Bader in beating the New York Mets 3-1 on Wednesday night for a two-game split of their Subway Series.
Bader had three hits and scored twice at Yankee Stadium, including an aggressive dash and headfirst dive into home plate. Rodón (1-3) outpitched fellow lefty José Quintana before four Yankees relievers combined to retire all 10 batters they faced.
Clay Holmes worked the ninth inning for his 14th save in 17 chances, giving the last-place Yankees (54-48) a four-game split of the season series with the Mets. The crosstown rivals also split two games last month at Citi Field.
It was a big outing for Rodón, off to a rough start with the Yankees after signing a $162 million, six-year deal as a free agent in December. The two-time All-Star missed the first three-plus months of the season because of forearm and back injuries, then compiled a 7.36 ERA while losing his first three starts.
Last week in a road game against the Los Angeles Angels, he sarcastically blew a kiss toward a fan while walking to the dugout after the second inning.
This time, a fired-up Rodón allowed one run and four hits in 5 2/3 effective innings. He struck out four, walked three and received a warm hand from Yankees fans in the sellout crowd of 46,761 as he came off the mound.
After getting hit in the back by a 95 mph fastball from Rodón, Mets right fielder Jeff McNeil made a couple of excellent catches — robbing Gleyber Torres of a home run with a leaping grab in the fifth.
Torres’ first-inning single extended his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games, longest by a Yankees player this season.
DJ LeMahieu drew a leadoff walk in the second and went to third on Bader’s double. Anthony Volpe walked to load the bases with nobody out, and the Yankees scored twice on the strength of some outstanding baserunning.
With one out, Volpe got a great jump and beat third baseman Mark Vientos’ throw to second on Oswald Peraza’s RBI grounder. The speedy Bader then scored by a wisp with a headfirst dive on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s shallow sacrifice fly to right, where McNeil made a sliding catch before popping up for a strong throw to the plate.
Danny Mendick’s double set up Brandon Nimmo’s sacrifice fly in the third, but Rodón prevented further damage by retiring Pete Alonso on a line drive to left with two runners aboard.
Rodón also struck out Alonso with two on to end the fifth. Alonso, who had two homers and five RBIs in the series opener, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
Bader scored again in the fourth on Volpe’s single to make it 3-1 after a costly throwing error by Vientos.
Quintana (0-2) was charged with three runs — two earned — and six hits over six innings in his second start for the Mets. The veteran left-hander missed the first 3 1/2 months of the season following rib surgery.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RF Starling Marte (migraines) is feeling much better and working out, but manager Buck Showalter said he doesn’t anticipate the team activating Marte from the injured list Thursday when he becomes eligible because his wife is due to give birth very soon. … McNeil fired his helmet away in frustration after getting drilled by Rodón’s fastball in the fourth. He was shaken up and checked by an athletic trainer. Rodón apologized to McNeil when the two crossed paths later in the game. … Tommy Pham (groin) was back in the lineup at DH after sitting out Tuesday. … Rookie catcher Francisco Álvarez was behind the plate after exiting Tuesday night’s game in the ninth inning when he was hit on the middle finger of his right hand by a 97 mph pitch from Albert Abreu. X-rays were negative. Umpires ruled Álvarez swung at the pitch for strike three.
Yankees: RF Aaron Judge (toe) played another simulated game at the team’s complex in Tampa, Florida. Once again, manager Aaron Boone did not rule out Judge coming off the injured list Friday in Baltimore. Boone said Judge homered in Tuesday’s simulated game.
UP NEXT
Mets: Return home to Citi Field for a four-game series against last-place Washington. In a matchup of All-Star pitchers, rookie RHP Kodai Senga (7-5, 3.27 ERA) starts Thursday night versus Nationals RHP Josiah Gray (7-8, 3.45).
Yankees: Following an off day, All-Star RHP Gerrit Cole (9-2, 2.78 ERA) goes Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at AL East-leading Baltimore.
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