Flushing, NY (Sports Network) – Jason Bay’s RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the New York Mets over the New York Yankees, 3-2, in the finale of this three-game Subway Series.
The hit made a winner of Francisco Rodriguez (2-2), who allowed three hits over two scoreless relief innings.
Luis Ayala (1-2) was charged with the loss, after issuing a leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Scott Hairston to begin the deciding frame.
Angel Pagan then sacrificed Hairston to second and Justin Turner was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Boone Logan entered and fanned Carlos Beltran swinging, but Ramiro Pena’s fielding error on a Daniel Murphy grounder loaded the bases.
Hector Noesi was summoned, only to serve up Bay’s game-winning hit, a line shot to center which plated Hairston.
Murphy posted three hits and an RBI and Bay added two hits with a run scored as the Mets avoided a sweep in the set. Starter R.A. Dickey allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks over five innings.
Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher knocked in a run each as the Yankees had their seven-game win streak snapped. Freddy Garcia worked seven full frames in the start, yielding six hits and one run.
The Mets picked up a run in the first as Beltran doubled with two down and scored on a Murphy single.
Robinson Cano’s leadoff double in the fifth was the Yanks’ first hit of the game, then Swisher followed with an RBI single, but the Yanks failed to pick up more runs later in the frame as Granderson grounded out with the sacks full.
Brett Gardner tripled to start the eighth and scored on Granderson’s fly to left but the Mets couldn’t even the score despite putting two on in the home portion.
Mariano Rivera gave up the tying single to pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino with two down in the ninth, but was rescued from a loss by his defense. Ruben Tejada managed to hit a ball through Pena’s legs at shortstop, but a charging Gardner was able to throw Lucas Duda out at the plate by a wide margin.
The Yankees ended the 2011 Subway Series by winning four of the six matchups…Rivera’s fourth blown save this season is just one off his 2010 total…Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who did not play on Sunday due to a hamstring injury, was named a starter for the All-Star Game on July 12, and outfielder Beltran was selected as a reserve…Coming into the contest, the Yankees sported an MLB-best 24-4 mark in day games this season…The Bronx Bombers were unable to snag a victory on the 44th birthday of general manager Brian Cashman…Yankees second baseman Cano, shortstop Derek Jeter and third baseman Alex Rodriguez were all named AL All-Star starters, as was Granderson, while Rivera was taken as a reliever…Prior to the game, the Yankees optioned pitcher Ivan Nova to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre…The game was delayed for 1:29 at the outset due to rain.