The New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets 6-4 on Friday night at Yankee Stadium in a Subway Series contest that coincided with leaguewide commemorations marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, according to Yahoo Sports. With the victory, the Yankees improved to 85-62, winning for the 17th time in 24 games and moving a season-high 23 games over .500.
Yankees Defeat Mets 6-4 on Emotional Night Marking 25th Anniversary of 9/11
Before the game, players, managers, coaches, and umpires across Major League Baseball wore caps bearing a We Shall Never Forget
side patch, while the Yankees and Mets wore first-responder caps featuring their team logos at Yankee Stadium, as reported by Fox News. Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, and manager Aaron Boone laid a wreath at the 9/11 memorial in Monument Park during the early afternoon hours, and a giant American flag covered the outfield during the national anthem sung by opera tenor James Valenti, followed by Lee Greenwood performing God Bless America.
Bellinger’s Three-Run Homer Highlights Game Sparked by Moving Ceremony
The pregame ceremonies featured several members of the 2001 New York Yankees—including Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius, and manager Joe Torre—who gathered on the field as highlights from the 2001 postseason run were displayed. Brielle Saracini, whose father Victor Saracini piloted United Flight 175 into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, threw out the ceremonial first pitch with Jeter watching from the mound. Saracini was caught by Cody Bellinger, while her husband, Sean McGuire—whose father also died on 9/11—threw to Paul Goldschmidt.
It’s a special day,
Bellinger said, according to MLB.com. Today was a day where it felt bigger than the game, bigger than yourself. It’s a day to be grateful, for sure.
Bellinger made an immediate impact on the field, hitting his 14th home run of the season off rookie right-hander Nolan McLean in the second inning. The three-run blast traveled into the right-field seats on a full-count curveball, giving the Yankees a 4-1 lead. It was the first curveball home run McLean has surrendered in the majors. Bellinger’s father, Clay Bellinger, played for the 2001 Yankees team that took part in the historic healing process following the attacks.
Rodón Subdues Mets as Yankees Hold on for 6-4 Win
Left-hander Carlos Rodón delivered a strong performance on the mound for the Yankees, allowing two runs (one earned) and three hits in a season-high 6 1/3 innings. Rodón walked one and struck out eight, notching two of those strikeouts against slugger Juan Soto, who faced boos from the Yankee crowd before each at-bat. Boone praised Rodón’s efficiency and the life on his four-seam fastball, changeup, and slider.
Ben Rice added to the Yankees’ scoring in the fifth inning by launching his 37th home run of the season the opposite way into the left-field seats on the first pitch. Rookie Spencer Jones contributed an RBI single in the first inning, and Ryan McMahon added an RBI single in the eighth.
The Mets mounted a challenge late, scoring via Christopher Morel’s second-inning RBI groundout, an RBI single by A.J. Ewing in the seventh off Paul Blackburn, and a solo home run by Ewing off David Bednar in the ninth. However, Bednar recovered to induce Soto into a game-ending double play, earning his 33rd save in 36 chances. McLean took the loss for the Mets, allowing five runs and a career-worst 10 hits over five innings as their four-game winning streak came to an end.
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