Game #82: Yankees 5, Mets 1

Jose Reyes argues after being called out at third base in the 7th inning. (NYTimes.com)

The offense sputtered against Justin Verlander and has come to a stop against the boys from the Bronx.

The Yankees scored three runs in the 1st inning and the Mets would never recover, dropping the first game of the Subway Series, 5-1.

The Bad Stuff:

• This game was lost before the first out. Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson led off with singles, and a Mark Teixeira double plated both runners. Robinson Cano followed two batters later with a double of his own to score Teixeira, and just like that the Empire was up 3-0.
• The Yankees wouldn't score again till the 8th inning, but the Mets floundered in their chances to get closer. They scored one in the 2nd, but left runners on the corners with one out. In the 5th, after loading the bases with two outs, Angel Pagan struck out on a bad pitch.
• The tide seemed to turn when the Amazin's held the Bombers scoreless in the 6th after they had the bases A-Rod style: juiced. Jose Reyes led off the 7th with his second single of the day (multi-hit game #43) and went to second on a Justin Turner fly ball. But when shortstop Eduardo Nunez was too lax on a dropped ball, Reyes tried to go to third. Umpire Ted Barrett thought he saw Rodriguez apply the tag, but replays showed he never actually touched Jose. The blown call cost the Mets an out and a manager, as Terry Collins was ejected for the second time this season.
• From that point on, the Mets were no match for the Yankee bullpen; six of them combined for 4 scoreless innings after starter Ivan Nova's 5.

The Good Stuff:

• Jon Niese was the hard-luck loser in this one. After the shaky 1st, he held the Yankees in check for the rest of his outing, finishing his 6 innings with just those 3 runs on 9 hits. He walked 2 and struck out 7, the majority of those Ks coming on breaking balls the Yanks were content to watch go by.
• As mentioned, Reyes had another 2-hit outing, and Justin turner added 3 of his own. Jason Bay scored the Mets' only run of the day on a Ruben Tejada RBI single in the 2nd.

Final Analysis:
They had just won two straight series wins against division-leading teams and were scoring runs at a blistering pace. But the Empire once again proved too much for the Mets, and the result was a deflating loss.

The loss drops the orange and blue back to .500. They'll have two more chances to solve the Yankee mystery, and the good news is that mystery won't include CC Sabathia: tomorrow Dillon Gee takes on Bartolo Colon (fresh/rusty off the DL) on FOX, then R.A. Dickey faces Freddy Garcia in the Sunday finale. Winning both would be fantastic, but frankly, and I hate that it's come to this already, as long as we don't get swept, I'm good.

MM

P.S. Our thoughts go to Taylor Buchholz, who is facing a bout with depression and will remain inactive with no timetable for return. I'm glad baseball has progressed enough to see this as an actual medical condition. We'll be ready for you when you're ready, Taylor; take all the time you need.