Yanks and Mets Struggle After Opening Wins

 

By Andrew Rosario

 

 

Both the New York Yankees and New York Mets started the 2022 season with impressive wins over division rivals. The Bronx Bombers hosted the hated Boston Red Sox last Friday as the game was pushed back from the original opening day Thursday due to a incoming rain storm.

 

Gerrit Cole took the mound and picked up right where he left off after his last start in the playoffs last year against Boston. In that disappointing start, Cole who was dealing with a hamstring issue, lasted only 2 innings leading to a 6-2 loss ending their season.

 

 

Friday afternoon, under a glorious spring day, Cole in the first inning issued a walk and saw Rafael Devers blast a home run giving Boston a 2-0. Cole settled down, giving up only 1 more run before his day was over. 

 

New York then went long ball to tie the game. It began with a Anthony Rizzo 2-run shot. Giancarlo Stanton then hit a lazer into the right field bleachers. Both teams would trade runs as the game would go into extra innings. 

 

In the bottom of the 11th, with Yankees starting with a runner on second, Josh Donaldson singles, scoring lsiah Kiner-Falefa for the walk-off win.

 

Game 2 Saturday was similar in that Boston took another early lead. Bombers starter Luis Severino was making his first start since 2019. With the Red Sox up 2-0, New York score 2-runs in the 4th and 6th innings for the 4-2 win. Rizzo hitting another home run.

 

 

 

 

The Yankees failed to sweep the series losing Sunday night on national television 4-3. New York out hit Boston 11-5 but could not get a hit when it counted. In the first 8 innings, they left 11 runners on base.

 

The drought continued Monday night when the Toronto Blue Jays came to town. Last year the Blue Jays won 8 out of 10 games at Yankee Stadium. Bombers starter Jason Taillon struck out 6 in 5 innings but gave up a 2-run Homer to George Springer in the 3-0 loss. New York only managed 4 hits.

 

The series picked up Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before the Yankees go on the road to start a 3 game series against the Baltimore Orioles.

 

The New York Metropolitans began their 2022 season on the road against division foes Washington Nationals. It was a better start than the Yankees under first year manager Buck Showalter. Game 1 saw the Mets fill-in starter Tylor Megill take the mound and threw 5 shutout innings in the 5-1 win. The next night New York started ex-Nationals Max Scherzer who was sharp as he gave up 3-runs, striking out 6 in 6 innings. The game was marred when both Pete Alonso and Fransisco Lindor were hit in the face causing both benches to come out on the field. The Mets went on to win 7-3. 

 

Alonso got his revenge the next night hitting first grand slam of his career as newly acquired starter Chris Bassitt tossed  6 innings, giving up 3 hits and striking out 8. It was the first time since 2012 the Mets opened the season with 3 straight wins. Unfortunately, they couldn’t make it 4 in a row as the Washington salvaged the last game coming away with the 4-2 win. The Nationals were led by Nelson Cruz who hit his 450^th career home run. Lindor hit a solo home run.

 

The road trip took the Mets up I-95 when they began a 3-game series Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies. New York jumped out for a 3-0 lead in the very first inning and added a run in the seventh. Then, their bullpen imploded as they gave up 5 runs in the 8th. 

 

It began when reliever Trevor May came out to start his second relief inning but had leave with an injury. Joely Rodriguez replaced him and promptly gave up a 2-run homer to J.T. Realmuto shrinking the lead to 1. Seth Lugo would be called on by Showalter. Lugo issued a walk to Nick Castellano and gave up a double to Rhys Hoskins tying the game. Ex-Yankee Didi Gregorius plated Hoskins for the 5-4 win.

 

The series continued Tuesday night before ending in a Wednesday matinee. The Mets come home Friday when they host the Arizona Diamondback at 1:10 pm for their 2022 Citi Field debut.