The New York Mets fell to the New York Yankees on Sunday night by a score of 6-0 in the final match-up of their two-game exhibition series (Box Score). 

Pitching

Corey Oswalt got the start and allowed five hits and two-earned runs in three-innings while striking out three and walking two. Despite allowing two solo homers, Oswalt’s slider looked sharp in the outing.

Yoenis Cespedes logged three-innings in left field, his first time out there since June of 2018, but did not see any balls come his way.

After retiring DJ LeMahieu to start the game, Oswalt allowed a solo shot to Aaron Judge, which put the Yankees on the board first 1-0.

Judge’s homer was followed up by a Gleyber Torres single to right-center to put one-on-with-one out but that was all Oswalt allowed in the frame as he retired Giancarlo Stanton via strikeout and Aaron Hicks on a ground out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the second, Oswalt walked Luke Voit with one-out and then surrendered a single to Brett Gardner to put runners on first and second for Matt Duffy. The right-hander was able to escape the jam by striking out Duffy and inducing a ground out by LeMahieu.

With one-out in the bottom of the third, Torres sent a ground ball back up the middle, which was fielded by Robinson Cano, but thrown away for a two-base-error. But this did not phase Oswalt, who continued his impressive stretch by getting Stanton and Hicks to ground out to end the threat.

On the first pitch of the bottom of the fourth inning, Gary Sanchez jumped all over Oswalt launching a leadoff home run into the second deck in left field to extend the Yankees lead to 2-0. He then walked Voit and allowed a double off the wall to Gardner to put runners on second and third with no outs.

This caused manager Luis Rojas to pull Oswalt for reliever Hunter Strickland, who came in to face Duffy.

Strickland looked sharp throwing 95 mph with good drop on his slider striking out Duffy and Thairo Estrada before getting Judge to fly out to center to escape the jam.

Drew Smith was brought in to start the fifth inning and pitched a scoreless frame despite walking Hicks. Smith touched 96 mph on the radar gun and his cutter was solid as he continued to push for a spot in the Mets opening day bullpen.

Smith stayed in to pitch the bottom of the sixth but did not have the same luck hanging one to Voit for a leadoff homer to add to the Yankees lead. He then walked Gardner but turned it into a double play line out to Alonso at first to record two-quick outs.

Estrada reached on a dribbler towards the third base line as Smith lost his footing getting over to field it. And the Yankees were not done there as Judge smashed his second home run of the night on a two-run bomb to put his team ahead 5-0.

Smith was lifted for left-handed pitcher Chasen Shreve who was able to stop the bleeding for the time being.

Shreve stayed on to begin the bottom of the seventh and Stanton made him pay as he sent the Yankees fifth home run of the night into the bleachers extending the lead to 6-0.

Seth Lugo received the eighth inning duties and set the Yankees down in order 1-2-3. Lugo came back out to handle the extended half inning in the bottom of ninth. The right-hander struck out two batters in another 1-2-3 inning, although these statistics will not count towards the official contest.

Hitting

After an anemic performance from the Mets lineup last night, the bats did not record a hit through the first three and a third innings against left-hander Jordan Montgomery, who cruised for five innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and no runs, to go along with six strikeouts.

Overall, the offense had a night to forget as they only scratched out three-hits and were shut out.

Michael Conforto was the Mets first base runner of the game as he drew a one-out walk in the top of the second. However, Montgomery caught him leaning the wrong way and as a result, picked him off first base for the second out. The left-hander finished things off by striking out J.D. Davis to end the inning.

In the top of the fourth, Cano finally broke the ice for the Mets bats as he recorded their first hit of the night on a two-out single to right field. Unfortunately, Yoenis Cespedes left him stranded as he flew out to right-center to end the inning.

As Montgomery quickly retired the first two batters in the top of the fifth, Rosario smacked a double to left field for his team’s second hit of the night. But the Mets were unable to score as Brandon Nimmo made the final out of the inning on a dribbler up the first base line, which was handled by the pitcher.

Jonathan Loaisiga came on to to relieve Montgomery in the top of the sixth and did not get much help from his defense to start things off as Duffy booted a grounder to third that allowed Rene Rivera to reach first base. He then let a fast ball get away from him against Jeff McNeil as he sailed one over Sanchez’s head as Rivera was able to take second.

McNeil, Alonso, and Cano all went down in order to end the inning as the Mets bats remained silent.

Rosario collected his second hit of the night on a lead off single to start the top of the 8th, but Loaisiga set down the next three-hitters to end the inning.

This would be the final base runner for the Mets tonight as they were shut out and outscored in the series by an overall score of 15-3.

On Deck

The Mets will open up the 60-game regular season at home against the Atlanta Braves on Friday afternoon.

Back-to-back reigning Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom appears to be on track to start for the Amazins’ against right-hander Mike Soroka, who is coming off an impressive first full season in the big leagues.

The game will be televised on ESPN with the first pitch set to be thrown at 4:10 pm EST.