Jeff McNeil’s Homer Sees Mets Beat Yankees 3-2 In Subway Series Opener

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The New York Mets dominated the Yankees in this year’s Subway Series, securing a tense 3-2 victory in the series opener at a sold-out Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, July 23. The game, which was marked by strategic pitching and a home run by Jeff McNeil, drew a crowd of 47,453 to the stadium and also continued the Mets’ legacy as New York’s supreme baseball team.

The game's pivotal moment came during the sixth inning when McNeil launched a two-run homer off former-Met-turned-Yankee Micheal Tonkin. This event broke a 1-1 tie and provided the margin needed for victory. McNeil has been on a power streak since the All-Star break, hitting his ninth home run of the year (and the fourth in five games).

“I feel like my swing is right where it needs to be,” says McNeil. “I feel a lot better. I feel like myself. I’m swinging the bat freely.”

Fans of the Mets will agree with his statement based on his latest performance.

But it’s not just McNeil that contributed to the team’s win. The Met’s pitching staff played a crucial role too. Starting pitcher Jose Quintana, who just recovered from an illness, allowed a single run on three hits over five innings. He walked five and struck out six, managing to keep the Yankees at bay.

The bullpen next took over the game, with five relievers allowing only two hits over the last four innings.

Reliever Jake Diekman got his fourth save of the season by delivering a hitless ninth inning. This ninth inning included a strikeout of Yankee Aaron Judge thanks to a perfectly placed fastball (flying at 96 mph) on the inside corner.

Judge, lauded as one of the most potent hitters for the Yankees, was walked four times, one of which was intentional. The Mets’ pitching strategy for Judge was effective, and the Yankees failed to capitalize on his time on the base.

Judge was reportedly not frustrated by the Mets’ strategy.

“I think they’re just trying to be a little careful and you’ve just got to pass the baton to the next guy," Judge said. "It’s a team game. Even if I went 4 for 4 today, we still might not win. So it’s just about, if I get a pitch to hit I’ve got to do some damage on it.”

The Yankees’ offense only got five hits in the game. Gleyber Torres got a home run in the second inning, and Alex Verdugo added an RBI double, but these performances weren’t enough to overcome the pitching power of the Mets.

“It’s a really good team win," said Diekman.

“We had travel delays before. We were all prepared, and we showed it out there," McNeil said.

Both teams entered the season opener in playoff positions, which added to the intensity of the game. The Mets, now 52-48, matched their season-high of four games over .500. The game also saw an interesting managerial matchup, as rookie manager of the Mets, Carlos Mendoza, faced off against his former team, having been a bench coach at the Yankees the past four years.

Given the high stakes and the energy surrounding the Subway Series, many fans turned to online and offshore betting sites to place their wagers where they faced a host of betting options as well as bonuses on sign-up. The odds were tight due to the evenly matched nature of the teams, but McNeil’s legendary homer and the Mets’ strategic pitching tipped the scales in the team’s favor.

The Mets will look to complete a season sweep of the Yankees in the second game of the series on Wednesday, July 24. Gerrit Cole, who struggled against the Mets in their previous game, will take the mound against Mets left-hand pitcher Sean Manaea. Cole is returning from an elbow injury and will be looking for redemption.

“We’ve got another big one [on Wednesday],” says Judge. Of the season opener he says: “Today we didn’t get the win, but now we’ve got to move on.”

Both teams are currently nursing injuries. For the Mets, rookie right-hand pitcher Christian Scott is on a 15-day injured list because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. RHP Sean Reid-Foley is also recovering from a shoulder injury but is expected to make an appearance on Thursday night.

The Yankees also have their share of injured players. Outfielder Jasson Dominguez is recovering from an oblique strain, but his return to the game is expected within the week.

The latest win shows that there is no stopping the Mets who continue to dominate over the struggling New York Yankees.

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