Subway Series: Battle at Bronx Ends in Draw

From the desks of:  

HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET  and  BLAME CARLOS MAY

SUBWAY SERIES

Mets/Yanks Double-Header Draw

I - NYY 12; NYM 5

II - NYM 10; NYY 4

The Mets now sport a 14-23 record on the road.  They needed to sweep Tuesday's twin-bill in order to rise above the elusive .500 mark.  As such, they remain a game under par heading into their four game home series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

A season ago first baseman Pete Alonso was still a minor leaguer.  In game two on Tuesday Alonso his his 22nd home run of the season.  He is now four home runs shy of Darryl Strawberry's club record for most home runs to start a season by a rookie.  He just also happens to be second in all the National League in home runs.  Through 65 games played, he is slashing .254/.337/.596, with 49 RBI through 240 at-bats.

After 13 starts and 84 innings pitched through Tuesday's losing effort at Yankee Stadium Zack Wheeler's ERA sits at a 4.61 mark.  At no time this season has his ERA ever dipped below three.  And for only the second time this season he failed to pitch into the fifth inning.  Wheeler yielded 13 runs over 28.1 innings for a 4.16 ERA in his four starts previous to Tuesday.  Tasked with pitching game one at Yankee Stadium, Wheeler surrendered nine runs (five earned) on ten hits and one walk with six strikeouts.  He allowed two more home runs, making it 13 for the season.  It marks the fifth time this season he has allowed two home runs in a game.  It's also the third straight start, and fourth start in his last five in which he's allowed two home runs in a game.

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Coupled with Tampa's loss against the A's, at least the Yankees were able to reestablish a tie for first place along side the Tampa Rays.  Both teams now sport identical 41-25 records.  The Red Sox meanwhile are still floundering in third place a game above .500 with a 34-33 record.

A season ago catcher Gary Sanchez was getting ridden out out town.  In game one on Tuesday Gary Sanchez hit his 20th home run of the season.  He went 3 for 5 with three RBI.  Despite missing 18 games this season, he is slashing .268/.337/.628, with 40 RBI through 183 at-bats.  After leading the American League the last two seasons in passed balls, he has yielded but four to date.  That said, I've heard nary one complaint about his all season.