The famed New York mass transport system will be busy taking fans to the Bronx and Queens this week when the Subway Series between the Yankees and Mets of New York square off in a four-game set. The Mets took a high-scoring first game, 9-7, but the Yankees and their surging offense can be a handful all series.
Which borough will bring home the bragging rights in this year’s series? Create your own betting account and pick a side in this battle of New York.
[sc:MultiSportArticles ]New York Mets vs. New York Yankees Series Preview
Where: Yankee Stadium, New York
When: May 12-15, 2014
Game 2 line: New York Mets (+115) at New York Yankees (-125); total: 8.5 – view all MLB lines
Keys to the Series
How the Yankees could use Mariano Rivera – or any competent reliever for that matter – right now. In the last three games, the Yankees relievers have surrendered eight earned runs in 9.1 innings, which resulted in three losses.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Five of those runs came in the series opener, as Alfredo Aceves, Matt Thornton and Preston Claiborne couldn’t hold the Yankees’ lead amid the Mets’ late-inning comeback. The Yankees are now just 1-5 in their last six home games.
The poor relief pitching has been taking away the great work the Yankees’ line-up has been doing. Fueled by the hot bats of Brett Gardner (10 hits in last nine games), Yangervis Solarte (11 hits in last 10 games) and Mark Teixeira (four HRs, 10 RBI in May), the Yankees have scored 34 runs (over six runs per game) in their last six games.
While the Yankees’ bullpen has been doing shoddy work, the Mets’ bullpen has been overworked. In the last five games, Mets relievers have thrown 20.1 innings after all their starters failed to get past the sixth inning. Bartolo Colon gave up six runs in just 5.2 innings in Game 1, but the bullpen held up with 3.1 scoreless innings to get the win.
On offense, David Wright continues to rake in May. The All-Star third baseman, who’s currently on a 10-game hitting streak, has 16 hits in total this month to prop up a Mets offense near the bottom of the league in hits and home runs.
After losing six of their last seven games, the Mets have now won two in a row. The Mets are 5-0 SU in their last five games vs. the Yankees.
Pitching Matchups
Game 2 – NYY Vidal Nuno (1-0, 5.47 ERA) vs. NYM Zack Wheeler (1-3, 4.35 ERA)
Trends:
Yankees are 4-0 in Nuno’s four career road starts
Wheeler is 3-0 this season with four or more runs of support
Game 3 – NYY Masahiro Tanaka (5-0, 2.57 ERA) vs. NYM Rafael Montero (0-0)
Trends:
Yankees are 6-1 in Tanaka’s seven starts this season
Game 4 – NYY TBD vs. NYM Dillon Gee (3-1, 2.73 ERA)
Trends:
The total has gone under in four of Gee’s last five starts.
Writer’s Prediction
With both teams having their own set of issues, expect a tough, hard-fought issue. Expect the two teams to split the series, two games apiece.
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