Subway Series 2025: It seemed that there was revived interest in the regular season subway series which had lost some its excitement since it's hey days of the 1990's & early 2000's. As a younger fan base began to dominate the attendance, they brought a new enthusiasm to what was old news to the older longtime fans.
The fact that the two New York teams were playing well also helped strike up the rivalry.
The Mets entered the series having
gone 14-5 in the month of June after a horrendous start to their season. The Mets had come off a seven-game win streak & had won eight of their last ten.Mets manager Carlos Mendoza hosted the AL New York team where he had coached for the previous six seasons. He sent the undefeated David Peterson (3-0) to the mound to face Gerit Cole.
Tuesday June 25th, 2024: In the top of the 1st, David Peterson got into some quick trouble with
a leadoff single & a pair of walks. But he turned it all around striking out the next three batters including J.D. Davis looking at the third called strike to end the inning.In the bottom of the 1st, Gerit Cole also got into trouble, as Francisco Lindor led off with a walk & then Cole issued two walks to load the bases.
With two outs, Tyrone Taylor lined a single to shallow left field, Lindor scored but Pete Alonso was tagged out at home for the third out.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Mark Vientos & Harrison Bader both hit solo HRs to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.In the bottom of the 4th, Mark Vientos connected for his second HR of the game to lead off the inning, giving the Mets a 4-0 lead.
Mark Vientos Trivia: For Vientos it was his first of three multi-HR games he would have on the year. It was also his third HR in his last two games. Vientos would drive in four runs in the two game subway series with two-multi-RBI games.
Jeff McNeil followed with a base hit to centerfield. Then with two outs, Brandon Nimmo hit the fourth HR of Gerit Cole, a two-run shot giving the Mets a 6-0 lead.Brandon Nimmo Trivia: For the hot hitting Nimmo it was his 12th HR of the year. From June 14th thru June 25th, he batted .395 with 15 hits, five HRs 14 RBIs & 14 runs scored during a ten-game hit-streak.
Gerit Cole exited having one of his worst outings of the season, giving up six runs & a season high
four HRs.
David Peterson shut out A.L. New York thru four innings, issuing a solo HR to Juan Soto in the 5th for his only run allowed exiting after 4.1 innings & striking out eight. Dedniel Nunez would give the Mets 2.2 innings, allowing a run.
In the bottom of the 6th, Jeff McNeil led off with a base hit off Phil Bickford.
He then stole second & went to third on Harrison Bader's base hit, for his second hit of the game. Brandon Nimmo then hit a grounder to Gleyber Torres at second base, his error allowed Jeff McNeil to score for a 7-1 lead.
Michael Tonkin came on to pitch, as J.D. Martinez greeted him with an RBI double to center field scoring Harrison Bader. Pete Alonso followed with an RBI sac fly making it a 9-1 Mets lead.In the 7th, Aaron Judge collected an RBI double, then in the 8th he hit a grand slam off Reed Garrett to make it an interesting 9-7 game. But Met manager Carlos Mendoza stuck with Reed Garrett & he closed out the win in the 9th inning.
Wednesday June 26th, 2024: Another big crowd of 43,004 came out for the second of the two
subway series games at Citi Field. before the game the Mets paid tribute to Willie Mays who had passed away eight days earlier. Wilie's son threw out the ceremonial first pitch in honor of subway series past.
Trivia: The New York Giants & A.L. New York team played in five subway World Series the last one was in 1951.
Tonight's starters were the Mets Sean Manea & the A.L. NY's Luis Gil.
In the top of the 1st, Sean Manea issued three straight one out walks, but he got Alex Verdugo to ground into a double play to end the inning. The Mets defense helped out Manea turning three double plays over the first five innings, with Manea exiting after pitching five scoreless innings allowing two hits on five walks.
In the bottom of the 3rd, the Mets offense started with Francisco Lindor doubling to right field to start the inning. Brandon Nimmo then drew a walk. J.D. Martinez drove a single to right scoring Lindor with the Mets first run. Francisco Alvarez followed with a two run HR making it 3-0.
In the bottom of the 5th, Brandon Nimmo walked to start the inning, two batters later Pete Alonso walked as well. Luis Gil's night was over as Yoendry's Gomez came on to pitch. Francisco Alvarez drove an RBI double to right scoring Nimmo.
Francisco Alvarez Trivia: For Alvarez it was his third RBI of the game, he would have six multi-
three RBI games on the season. It was his fourth HR of the season & it would be a month until he hit another coming on July 26th in a win over the Braves. At this point Alvarez was batting .313 for the season.
Yoendrys' Gomez had some control issues, as he walked the next two batters bringing in another Mets run making it 5-0 Mets. Jeff McNeil followed with a sac fly scoring Alvarez with the sixth run.
Harrison Bader then doubled to right field bringing in Tyrone Taylor who had walked earlier with the seventh Mets run for a commanding 7-0 lead.
In the top of the 6th, Aaron Judge hit a two run HR off Danny Young for the A.L. New York's team's only runs of the game.
In the bottom of the 6th, with two outs Pete Alonso was hit with a pitch. It was the sixth time on the year he was hit by a pitch & would end the year with 13 hit by pitches.
Francisco Alvarez then singled as he collected his third hit of the game. He would have four multi- three hit games on the season. Tyrone Taylor then blasted a HR to left center field, his third HR of the year giving the Mets a 10-2 lead.
Trivia: It was the sixth time the Mets put up double figures in runs on the season & the first of two times they would do it against the A.L. NY team. In 2024 they would put up double figures in run 13 times in the regular season & once in the post season.
In the bottom of the 7th, Harrison Bader led off with a solo HR, making it 11-2 Mets.
Harrison Bader Trivia: For New York native, Bader it was his second hit of the game, in the two-game set with his old team he collected four hits with a HR in each game, three RBIs & three runs scored.
In the bottom of the 8th, the Mets added a run with base hits from Pete Alonso, Luis Torrens & an RBI single from Mark Vientos. It was Vientos second straight multi-two RBI game.
The Mets went on to the 12-2 win, with Sean Manea getting the win. The Mets scored 21 runs in the two games collecting 24 hits, with a dozen in each game. The Mets also reached the .500 mark and would never fall back below t as they put up the best record in baseball from here on in.
