Lindor's Two-Homer Night Powers Mets to Dominant Subway Series Victory

Francisco Lindor delivered one of the most memorable Subway Series performances in recent memory, launching a leadoff homer and capping the night with a grand slam to power the New York Mets to a crushing 12-2 victory over the crosstown Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 12.

The Mets shortstop's offensive explosion came on the fifth anniversary of his three-homer game against the Yankees at Citi Field. Lindor wasted no time getting started, lining Gerrit Cole's 1-1 changeup into the right-field seats on the game's first pitch. The leadoff blast marked Lindor's fifth this season and 36th of his career, setting an aggressive tone that would define the evening.

After the Mets built a commanding lead, Lindor delivered the knockout blow in the eighth inning with a towering grand slam off rookie Bradley Hanner that sent many in the sellout crowd of 46,864 streaming toward the exits. The grand slam was the eighth of his career and made him just the third Mets player to hit one in the Bronx, joining Mike Piazza in 2000 and Carlos Delgado in 2008.

Yankees Ace Struggles in Subway Series

Gerrit Cole's nightmare against the Mets continued, as the Yankees ace lasted just 4 1/3 innings while surrendering five runs and nine hits. Cole fell to 8-9 on the season, and his recent Subway Series struggles are becoming a troubling trend. In his last three starts against the Mets, Cole is 0-3 with a bloated 10.92 ERA, having allowed 10 home runs.

Luis Torrens added to Cole's misery with a two-run homer in the second inning and an RBI double during a five-run eighth-inning outburst. Rookie Carson Benge contributed a solo home run and delivered the RBI single in the fifth that finally ended Cole's evening.

The Yankees' bats managed only modest production against Mets rookie Zac Thornton, who impressed in his Subway Series debut with seven innings of work, allowing two runs and five hits. Cody Bellinger homered and added an RBI single, but it wasn't nearly enough to keep pace with the Mets' offensive barrage.

Mets Continue Hot Stretch

The victory marked the Mets' 22nd win in 35 games since the August 3 trade deadline, as the team continues to surge in the season's final weeks. The 13-hit attack featured six home runs, marking the first time the Mets have slugged that many against the Yankees in a single game. Juan Soto homered in the seventh inning, and Jared Young also went deep as the Mets (69-79) overwhelmed their crosstown rivals.

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Yankees (85-63), who have now lost eight of their past 25 games. Despite maintaining a strong record, the Yankees' inconsistency down the stretch raises questions about their postseason readiness.

The Subway Series concludes Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, with the Yankees sending Cam Schlittler (13-6, 2.01 ERA) to the mound against Mets right-hander Christian Scott (4-4, 3.81 ERA). After Saturday's dominant performance, the Mets will look to capture their first Subway Series sweep since 2013.