Yankees Edge Mets 2-1 To Avert Longest Slide In 25 Years

NEW YORK: Clint Frazier scored the winning run on Dellin Betances’ wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the New York Yankees averted their longest losing streak in a quarter-century Saturday with a 2-1 victory over the crosstown Mets.

J.A. Happ pitched brilliantly into the eighth at Yankee Stadium and Luke Voit homered early for the injury-ravaged Bronx Bombers, who stopped a seven-game slide that followed six straight wins. They haven’t dropped eight in a row since August 1995 just before their most recent dynasty of three consecutive World Series titles and four in all from 1996-2000.

The Mets had won three straight and six of eight, including a Subway Series doubleheader sweep Friday at Yankee Stadium.

Wilson Ramos greeted Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino with a tying home run in the eighth off the screen attached to the left-field foul pole. It was another failure for a vaunted Yankees bullpen that’s blown late leads in all three games of this Subway Series so far.

Frazier drew a leadoff walk in the ninth from Betances (0-1), a four-time All-Star with the Yankees before signing with the Mets last offseason. Frazier went to third on a soft single to right by Jordy Mercer with one out, bringing up backup catcher Erik Kratz.

Kratz squared to bunt on an 0-1 pitch, then pulled his bat back when Betances’ fastball sailed high and off Ramos’ mitt. Frazier didn’t break from third on the pitch, but scored easily when the ball went to the backstop.

Aroldis Chapman (1-1) threw a hitless inning, rebounding from a blown save and loss Friday night when he gave up a game-ending homer to pinch-hitter Amed Rosario.

Happ held the Mets to three hits in 7 1/3 shutout innings, becoming the first Yankees starter to reach the eighth this season. The 37-year-old lefty struck out five and walked none in his second consecutive stingy outing.

He was helped by Brett Gardner’s outstanding catch in left field, which robbed J.D. Davis of extra innings to begin the seventh.

It was only the fourth start of the year and second since Aug. 5 for Happ, who recently spoke up about the shortage of assignments and seemed to think it might be related to his $17 million vesting option for next season.

Before the game, general manager Brian Cashman said Happ struggled last year and slots at the back of the team’s rotation, so the decision has purely been based on trying to win games and navigating postponements.

Voit launched his 12th home run on the fourth pitch from Mets starter Robert Gsellman, who lasted four innings as the former reliever gradually stretches out to plug a hole in an injury-depleted rotation.

TRAINERS ROOM

Mets: LHP Steven Matz struck out two in a hitless inning of relief but exited with shoulder discomfort. … Davis got drilled in the left hip by a 98 mph fastball from Aroldis Chapman in the ninth. Davis crumpled over twice and hobbled his way to first, but stayed in the game. … Michael Conforto banged hard into the right-field wall trying to catch DJ LeMahieus third-inning triple. Conforto appeared a little shaken up initially and was checked by a trainer, but remained in the game. … All-Star OF Jeff McNeil was rested, and slugger Pete Alonso received a bit of a breather as the DH.

Yankees: LeMahieu was reinstated from the 10-day injured list before the game. He was batting .411 with a .990 OPS when he sprained his left thumb Aug. 15. INF-OF Miguel Andjar was optioned to the team’s alternate training site. … LeMahieu batted leadoff and started at 3B in place of Gio Urshela, who sat out again with a bone spur in his right elbow. Urshela could be back in the lineup Sunday, manager Aaron Boone said. … RF Aaron Judge, who re-injured his right calf this week, has a lesser strain but will likely need to rehab twice as long this time, Cashman said. … C Gary Sanchez was rested.

UP NEXT

The teams play their second seven-inning doubleheader in three days Sunday afternoon to make up games postponed last weekend at Citi Field after a Mets player and a coach tested positive for the coronavirus. The Mets will be the home” team at Yankee Stadium in the second game.

Cashman said one of the club’s top two pitching prospects, Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia, is likely to be called up Sunday for the first time and possibly both. The Mets plan to start RHP Rick Porcello (1-4, 6.43 ERA) and RHP Seth Lugo (1-2, 2.03).