NEW YORK — Francisco Alvarez went 3 for 3 with a leadoff home run and three RBIs, Tyrone Taylor added a three-run drive and the surging New York Mets defeated the New York Yankees 12-2 on Wednesday night for a two-game sweep in the Subway Series.
Harrison Bader also went deep and delivered an RBI double for the Mets (39-39), who chased rookie Luis Gil (9-3) in the fifth inning. They defeated the Yankees by hitting seven home runs, 21 runs and 24 hits in two nights at Citi Field.
“As a guy who likes to talk a lot of trash, I think it’s fun,” said shortstop Francisco Lindor, who enjoyed earning bragging rights for the Mets and their fans. “I think it’s fun for the barbershop. I think it’s fun for all workplaces.”
With their 15th win in 19 games, the Mets got back to .500 for the first time since going 18-18 heading into their May 10 loss to Atlanta.
“That’s not the mission, but it’s good to know we’re on the right path,” Lindor said. “It’s beautiful when we can all hold each other accountable, and that’s what we’re doing now.”
The struggling Yankees, who lead the AL East, have lost four consecutive series and eight of 10 games.
“You don’t like getting kicked in the teeth. It was a horrible two weeks for us. But it’s part of it. We know it’s coming,” coach Aaron Boone said. “Adversity will hit you.
After an 87-minute rain delay in the fifth, Aaron Judge launched a two-run home run with the Yankees trailing 7-0 in the sixth. It was his 287th home run, tying him with Bernie Williams for seventh most in franchise history.
Judge also joined Mark McGwire (four times) and Ken Griffey Jr. as the only players to hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break three times.
Sean Manaea (5-3) avoided early trouble, dancing around five walks while allowing just two hits in five shutout innings before a sellout crowd of 43,004. He induced three double-play grounders in the first four innings, including two from Alex Verdugo before Verdugo broke an 0-for-22 slump with a single in the sixth.
Verdugo popped into an inning-ending double play after three consecutive walks in the first – the second night in a row the Yankees came up empty after loading the bases with less than two outs in the first inning.
“I asked our guys if that was the scouting report – load the bases. Because it felt like déjà vu,” Lindor said. “But hats off to our pitching staff for getting out of those troubles.”
Alvarez hit a two-run home run that made it 3-0 in the third, then added an RBI double on a four-run fifth — both to the opposite field. He also walked and scored three times, finishing one triple shy of the cycle in his perfect night at the plate.
“I like how I feel right now,” the 22-year-old catcher said.
Mark Vientos had two RBIs and Lindor doubled his first twice for the Mets, who have homered in 10 consecutive games. They have scored at least 10 runs five times in the last 13 games, after doing so just twice in the first 65 games.
“It feels good right now,” said rookie manager Carlos Mendoza, who was Boone’s bench coach with the Yankees the past four seasons. “Credit to that group right there. Good players, good coaches and they’re having fun.”
Adrian Houser pitched three scoreless innings for his first major league save.
Gil was charged with five runs, four hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. He has lost two straight games, including a big flop last week against Baltimore, after going 9-0 in the previous 11.
“No one expects it to be easy,” Boone said. “I know you sailed through the first few months and obviously to an unanticipated level, actually. You will have bumps along the way. So, let’s unite around him and accompany him better and better. But he will learn and grow from it.”
The crosstown rivals will meet again in two more games July 23-24 at Yankee Stadium.
“It feels good to play good baseball, not just the last two nights, but a month ago, I would say,” Lindor said. “That’s what we hope for.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: RHP Scott Effross (lumbar surgery) has had his rehab assignment transferred from Class A Tampa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Mets: RHP Drew Smith was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow sprain, and RHP Ty Adcock was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse. … RHP Kodai Senga (right shoulder capsule strain) is scheduled to throw two innings of live batting practice against minor leaguers on Thursday at Citi Field.
NEXT
Yankees: LHP Carlos Rodón (9-4, 3.86 ERA) starts Thursday night in last-place Toronto against RHP José Berríos (6-6, 3.43) in the opener of a four-game series.
Mets: After a day off, LHP Jose Quintana (3-5, 4.58 ERA) faces Astros RHP Ronel Blanco (8-2, 2.34) on Friday night at Citi Field. Houston has won seven in a row and is back to .500.
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