Teixeira sparks Yanks win over Mets
NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira hit a three-run home run in the second inning and nearly sparked a benches-clearing incident three innings later as the New York Yankees recorded a 9-5 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Teixeira gave the Yankees the lead for good when he homered off Steven Matz (8-8) with two outs in the second. With one out in the fifth, the switch-hitting first baseman was hit on the left knee by Matz's first pitch.
Teixeira took exception to being hit and immediately began yelling and glaring at Matz. Teixeira tossed his shin guard in the air and walked toward first base while being restrained by Yankees third baseman Chase Headley and Mets catcher Rene Rivera.
Both benches emptied but never got past the foul lines and relievers from both teams stood in front of the warning track in case things escalated further. Things quickly quieted down as Teixeira took first but he slid hard into second baseman Neil Walker on Headley's inning-ending double play.
Both teams were warned and Mets manager Terry Collins could be seen on television yelling a profanity from the dugout.
Headley and Didi Gregorius drove in two runs apiece for the Yankees, who won for the second time in seven games. Starlin Castro and Rob Refsnyder also drove in runs for the Yankees.
After Yankees right-hander Chad Green labored through 3 2/3 innings, Luis Severino (1-6) allowed an unearned run in 4 1/3 innings, highlighting his appearance by escaping a major jam in the seventh.
Curtis Granderson hit a leadoff home run while James Loney and Rivera added RBI singles for the Mets (55-52), who bounced into three double plays in the first three innings and lost for the seventh time in 10 games. Walker hit a solo home run in the ninth for the Mets.
The Mets threatened again by loading the bases with nobody out in the seventh against Severino. Following a walk and an infield single, Headley booted Yoenis Cespedes' one-hopper to third base for an error.
Severino fanned Jay Bruce for the first out, allowed a run to score on Loney's grounder to first base and struck out Michael Conforto with runners at second and third.
After Severino escaped, the Yankees added three runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Refsnyder, an infield single by Castro and a bases-loaded walk by Gregorius.
Matz allowed six runs and six hits in six innings.
The Mets went ahead two pitches into the game when Granderson homered down the right field line for his seventh leadoff home run of the season. The Mets loaded the bases on two singles and a walk to Bruce and took a 2-0 lead on a single by Loney.
The Yankees quickly tied it with one out in the first as Headley followed a single by Rob Refsnyder and a walk by Teixeira with a double to the left field warning track. Two batters later, Gregorius gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead with a double down the right field line.
The first three hitters reached in the third but the Mets only scored once on a single by Rivera, which evened the game at 3.
The Yankees took a 6-3 lead with two outs in the second when Teixeira hit an 0-1 pitch into the first row of the right-center field seats.
NOTES: Mets manager Terry Collins said he had no problems with OF Yoenis Cespedes playing golf after not starting three straight games with a quadriceps injury. "Was he running on the course or was he walking? Did he ride a card or was he jogging?" Collins said. "I don't have any problem with it." ... Yankees C/DH Gary Sanchez was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre and will likely be the DH for the next few days because his left thumb is still sore. ... Mets GM Sandy Alderson said RHP Zack Wheeler (Tommy John surgery) will start a rehab assignment with Class A St. Lucie Saturday. ... Alderson also said 1B Lucas Duda (back) had a setback and was prescribed 30 days of rest by Dr. Robert Watkins. ... The Yankees announced LHP Jacob Lindgren will undergo Tommy John surgery on his left elbow Friday.