Schlittler, Rice and Chisholm lead Yankees past Mets 5-2 in Subway Series opener
NEW YORK (AP) — Cam Schlittler overpowered the New York Mets in his Subway Series debut, carrying a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning as the New York Yankees breezed to a 5-2 victory Friday night at Citi Field. Jazz Chisholm Jr. laced a two-run double off former Yankees closer Clay Holmes in a three-run third, and Ben Rice added his 14th homer in the ninth.
Cody Bellinger had an RBI double and rookie Spencer Jones provided an RBI single for the Yankees, who improved to 2-5 on their nine-game trip. In the opener of a three-game series, Schlittler (6-1) struck out nine and walked two over 6 2/3 innings — keeping his AL-best ERA at 1. 35 in his second major league season.
He threw 106 pitches, his most in a regular-season game, and 71 were strikes. The 25-year-old right-hander was in complete command until ex-Yankees slugger Juan Soto launched his 250th career homer on an 0-2 fastball leading off the seventh. Fernando Cruz retired rookie A.
J. Ewing with runners at second and third to end the inning, then worked a 1-2-3 eighth. David Bednar allowed an RBI single to Brett Baty in the ninth.
Other than Soto’s drive and Baty’s two-out single in the second, the light-hitting Mets, who have struggled against high velocity all season, were no match for Schlittler's 96-99 mph heat. About the only trouble Schlittler encountered came in the form of a couple of sharp comebackers that dinged him on his left foot and calf before being converted into groundouts by his infielders. Chisholm finished with three hits, a walk and a stolen base.