Yankees 0, Mets 2: Bombers’ offense a no-show, shut out for first time this year

For the first two games of this Subway Series, the Yankees fell behind early and then rallied late to come away victorious. They fell behind again tonight, but failed to mount the expected comeback, dropping the series finale 2-0 to the Mets at Citi Field.

In a bid to earn his 10th victory, Luis Severino got off to a rough start. The right-hander threw 31 pitches just to escape the first inning. He walked two batters in the frame, and went into deep counts to wiggle out of the jam without allowing a run.

Severino managed to return to ace form, scattering a pair of singles in the second, third, and fourth while striking out four. However, he suddenly started getting hit hard in the fifth. After striking out the first two batters, Severino gave up a single followed by a Todd Frazier two-run home run. The next hitter also reached on a hard line-drive single, but the frame ended when Didi Gregorius caught a scorcher and stepped on second base for the force play.

All told, Severino threw 93 pitches over five innings to suffer his second loss of the 2018 campaign. He allowed two runs on five hits while walking two and striking out seven. The Yankees fall to 12-2 in games started by their ace this season.

Starting in place of the injured Noah Syndergaard, Seth Lugo completely stymied the Bombers’ offense for six innings. The Yankees managed only two singles, while drawing no walks and whiffing eight times. Neither baserunner advanced as far as second base.

Still trailing 2-0 in the eighth, the Yankees caught a big break but failed to capitalize. Miguel Andujar notched a one-out single off reliever Robert Gsellman. Aaron Judge, pinch-hitting in the pitcher’s spot, banged an easy double-play grounder to short. Second baseman Jose Reyes caught the throw from shortstop Amed Rosario, but failed to touch the keystone and then threw the ball wildly to first base.

Judge was safe on the errant throw, while Andujar was ruled safe after replay review. Reyes was charged with two errors on the play, one for failing to step on the bag, and the other for the bad throw. The Yankees failed to take advantage of this gift as Gleyber Torres popped out and Brett Gardner flew out to end the threat.

A trio of Yankees relievers held the Mets in check. Chasen Shreve, Adam Warren, and Jonathan Holder each threw a hitless, scoreless frame to keep the team in the game. Unfortunately, the Mets relievers were equally effective. Gsellman hurled two shutout innings and former Yankee Anthony Swarzak pitched the ninth to close out the Mets’ win.

Greg Bird drew a one-out walk in the ninth — the Bombers’ only free pass of the night. Gary Sanchez hit a rope to third baseman Frazier, who threw across the diamond to double off Bird and end the game.

Overall, Yankees hitters fanned 11 times — seven of them looking. The Bombers advanced only one baserunner as far as second base for the entire game, that coming on the double-error in the eighth inning.

With the loss, the Yankees see their four-game winning streak come to an end, while dropping to 42-19 overall. In the AL East race, they lead the Red Sox by three games in the loss column, but have two fewer wins. Despite suffering their first shutout of the 2018 campaign, the Bombers boast a MLB-leading .689 winning percentage. They end their successful road trip with a 7-2 mark.

Following a well-deserved day off tomorrow, the Yankees begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday versus the Washington Nationals. CC Sabathia (3-1, 3.59 ERA) faces off against right-hander Tanner Roark (3-6, 3.56 ERA) in the opener of the two-game series. First pitch is set for 7:05 PM EDT.