Yankees at Mets
The New York Yankees took on the best their crosstown rivals could throw at them and still walked away victoriously. The Yankees will try to make it two straight in the Subway Series when they continue a three-game set at the stumbling New York Mets on Saturday.
A tiebreaking two-run homer by Brett Gardner in the top of the eighth inning lifted the Yankees to a 4-1 win over the Mets and ace Jacob deGrom in Friday's opener, giving the Bronx Bombers a 32-9 record since a 9-9 start and thrusting them back into first place in the American League East. The Yankees have won five straight over the Mets, who also set a season standard with their seventh consecutive loss overall - during which they've scored a total of eight runs - and extended their home skid to nine straight. To make matters worse, they placed closer Jeurys Familia (shoulder) on the 10-day disabled list Friday and announced that Sunday's scheduled starter, Noah Syndergaard, would remain on the DL after he experienced swelling in his injured finger. The hosts will hope for some help from lefty Steven Matz, who gets the nod Saturday opposite Domingo German for the Yankees.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Domingo German (0-4, 5.44 ERA) vs. Mets LH Steven Matz (2-4, 3.42)
German is winless in 17 career appearances (five starts) and has lost each of his last three outings. He gave up four runs in a career-high 6 2/3 frames in a setback at Detroit on Monday. Opponents are hitting .231 against the 25-year-old - who will be making his debut in interleague play - and he has 44 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings overall.
Matz left a start two turns ago due to a finger issue but showed no effects while giving up two runs in a season-high seven innings against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. He struck out seven and yielded five hits in the outing, which left him with a 2.32 ERA since the end of April. The 27-year-old New York native has a 7.63 ERA in three career starts against the city rivals, and all that was before the Yankees added Giancarlo Stanton, who is 4-for-10 with two home runs versus Matz.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes (hip) went 0-for-2 in a rehab game with Double-A Binghamton on Friday.
2. The Yankees have 51 homers in 29 road games, counting the suspended contest with Washington.
3. Mets OF Brandon Nimmo hit a leadoff homer Friday and has six long balls over his last 16 games.