INTERLEAGUE
YANKEES 6, METS 1
NEW YORK -- On a night that felt more like October than late April, Michael Pineda gave the Yankees an impressive performance in a matchup all of New York could get behind in the World Series.
Pineda consistently threw deceptive strikes into the eighth inning, Mark Teixeira had a pair of two-run home runs and the Yankees ended the crosstown rival Mets' 11-game winning streak with a 6-1 victory Friday night in the Subway Series opener.
"He's dominant," Yankees catcher Brian McCann said of the powerful right-hander.
Jacoby Ellsbury also connected off Jacob deGrom (2-2) for a third home run to the short right field in the Bronx as the Yankees ended a four-game home skid to the Mets.
Pineda (3-0) allowed five hits and a run in 7 2/3 innings in his longest outing with the Yankees, who won for the seventh time in eight games. The NL East-leading Mets lost in their first game this season against a team outside the division.
"He's matured, he took a tough situation last year and figured out how to pitch in the cold," Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said, referring to when Pineda was caught using pine tar at Boston. "On a night like tonight it was extremely impressive."
For the first time since the start of interleague play in 1997, the teams entered a Subway Series game with each holding at least a share of first place in their divisions. Even with the Rangers playing an NHL playoff game at Madison Square Garden and the Islanders and Nets also in the postseason, baseball was abuzz in New York on a brisk 46-degree night.
The banged-up Mets were coming off a perfect 10-game homestand that gave them the best record in baseball at 13-3, matching the 1986 team for best start in franchise history.
"It's disappointing because we were on a nice roll," Mets Manager Terry Collins said, "and I know the Yankees have been playing very well, but we're surprised when Jake doesn't have his good stuff and tonight he didn't have it."
Bernie Williams, who caught the final out of the 2000 Subway World Series, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and then Pineda shut down the Mets with pinpoint control of his nasty breaking pitch. He struck out seven and didn't walk a batter, throwing 78 of his 100 pitches for strikes.
"That's what I'm looking for, attack the hitter for a first-pitch strike," Pineda said.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RED SOX 7, ORIOLES 5 Brock Holt hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run off Darren O'Day in the eighth inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat host Baltimore to extend the Orioles' losing streak to five games.
INDIANS 13, TIGERS 1 Brandon Moss homered twice and drove in seven runs, Danny Salazar struck out a career-high 11 and the visiting Cleveland Indians routed the Detroit Tigers.
RAYS 12, BLUE JAYS 3 James Loney, Rene Rivera and Tim Beckham each hit a two-run home run, and the host Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 3, BREWERS 0 Carlos Martinez struck out eight in seven innings, Jason Heyward and Jhonny Peralta homered, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the host Milwaukee Brewers.
CUBS 7, REDS 3 (11) Jonathan Herrera singled home the tiebreaking run in the 11th inning, and David Ross followed with a bases-loaded double that sent the visiting Chicago Cubs to a victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
PHILLIES 1, BRAVES 0 Freddie Freeman mishandled Ben Revere's ground ball to first, allowing Freddy Galvis to score in the ninth to give the host Philadelphia Phillies a victory over the Atlanta Braves.
MARLINS 3, NATIONALS 2 Martin Prado broke a tie with an eighth-inning single, and four pitchers combined on a six-hitter to help the Miami Marlins beat the visiting Washington Nationals.
ROCKIES 6, GIANTS 4 Pinch-hitter Rafael Ynoa snapped a sixth-inning tie with an RBI double, Eddie Butler was backed by stellar defense over six shaky innings and the host Colorado Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants.
Sports on 04/25/2015