Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker throws to first base during an 8-3 win over the Yankees on Saturday in New York. Adam Hunger/Associated Press
NEW YORK — Taijuan Walker took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Brandon Nimmo provided a spark in his return from the injured list and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 8-3 Saturday to open a three-game Subway Series.
The Mets already led 8-0 when Aaron Judge homered with one out in the sixth to end Walker’s bid for the record-tying eighth no-hitter in the majors this season.
Walker (7-3) was lifted after 5 2/3 innings and got a standing ovation from thousands of Mets fans among the season-high crowd of 40,047 at Yankee Stadium — the highest attendance for either New York team since before the coronavirus pandemic.
“Let’s go Mets” chants got minimal pushback from frustrated Yankees fans, many believing their season completely off the rails before the Subway Series began.
Playing for the first time since a brutal 11-8 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, the Yankees slogged through another frustrating defeat with just three hits, all in the sixth inning. They have dropped six of seven and fell to 41-40 after starting the day 9 1/2 games behind AL East-leading Boston.
Walker allowed two runs, two hits and two walks, striking out five on 106 pitches. His ERA rose slightly to 2.44 during a breakout season after signing a $23 million, three-year free agent contract in February.
Nimmo had three hits along with a hard lineout in his first game since a detached hand ligament sidelined him two months ago. The Mets leadoff hitter lifted his average to .333 and his on-base percentage to .435.
Jordan Montgomery (3-3) stranded five Mets baserunners over the first three innings to keep it scoreless, but the visitors broke through in the fifth.
Nimmo hit a one-out single, Francisco Lindor followed with another and Dominic Smith scored Nimmo from second with a single up the middle for a 1-0 lead.
Montgomery walked Pete Alonso to load the bases and was replaced by Lucas Luetge. James McCann made it 2-0 with a broken-bat single, and Smith scored from third on a wild pitch for a three-run lead before Luetge ended the inning.
BREWERS 11, PIRATES 2: Omar Narváez had five hits, Avisaíl García drove in five runs and Jace Peterson added four RBI as Milwaukee rolled to their 11th straight victory, winning in Pittsburgh.
It is the Brewers’ longest winning streak since they began the 1987 season with a franchise-record 13 victories in a row. The NL Central leaders have outscored their opponents 84-28 during the streak.
The five hits – all singles – were a career high for Narváez, who previously had two four-hit games. He lined out in the ninth inning to finish 5 for 6.
Peterson and García each had three of the Brewers’ 16 hits. Peterson is 16 for 33 with 11 RBI in his last 13 games.
PHILLIES 4, PADRES 2: Bryce Harper homered and drove in two runs, Rhys Hoskins also went deep and Philadelphia won at home.
Zach Eflin (3-6) allowed two runs and three hits in six innings, and a Philadelphia bullpen that had blown 22 of 40 save chances coming in held the lead for a change. Bailey Falter, Archie Bradley and Ranger Suárez combined for three innings of one-hit, scoreless relief. Suárez earned his first professional save with a perfect ninth.
Manny Machado hit his 13th homer, a two-run drive. The Padre have lost three straight after winning 11 of 12.
The start was delayed 2 hours, 1 minute due to rain and the game was stopped by rain for 45 minutes with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BLUE JAYS 6, RAYS 3: George Springer homered for the second straight day, Santiago Espinal hit his first career home run and Toronto beat Tampa Bay in Buffalo, New York.
The Blue Jays won for the 10th time in 13 games. Tampa Bay has lost five straight overall and 10 in a row on the road.
Springer led off the second inning with his fifth homer, going deep on a first-pitch fastball from Shane McClanahan (3-3).
Adam Cimber (2-2) got the win in relief of Ryan Stripling, who allowed one run on two hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.
ROYALS 6, TWINS 3: Hunter Dozier drove in three runs and Edwards Oliveras hit a two-run shot, helping Kansas City beat U.S. Air Force captain Griffin Jax and scuffling Minnesota in Kansas City, Missouri.
Danny Duffy only lasted four innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks, but the Kansas City bullpen was solid for the second straight day.
Kyle Zimmer (4-0) was the first of five relievers who pitched an inning apiece, and Scott Barlow handled the ninth for his fourth save and second in as many games.
TIGERS 11, WHITE SOX 5: Eric Haase hit a three-run, inside-the-park homer and later cleared the fence for another three-run drive, leading host Detroit over the White Sox and snapping Chicago’s five-game winning streak.
The Tigers trailed 2-0 in the fourth inning when Jonathan Schoop and Miguel Cabrera drew walks from Dallas Keuchel (6-3). Haase hit a sinking liner that bounced past diving center fielder Billy Hamilton and rolled to the wall as the runners circled the bases.
Haase’s inside-the-park homer was the first by a Tigers player since JaCoby Jones hit one last Aug. 10 against the White Sox. The six RBI were a career-high for Haase, who has four multi-homer games this season.
Schoop had a solo homer and two-run single.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
REDS 3, CUBS 2: Joey Votto and Tyler Naquin homered, the Cincinnati bullpen pitched four scoreless innings and the Reds beat Chicago in Cincinnati, the eighth straight loss for the reeling Cubs.
The Reds hopped over the Cubs into second place in the NL Central, behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
Eugenio Suárez drove in the decisive run with a single in the seventh inning.
Tyler Mahle allowed two runs and five hits and struck out seven over five innings for the Reds. The bullpen was terrific for the second straight game, allowing two Chicago hits the rest of the way.
Ryan Hendrix (4-1), the second of four Cincinnati relievers, got the win. Heath Hembree pitched the ninth for his second save in two days.
MARLINS 3, BRAVES 2: Sandy Alcantara pitched six strong innings, Garrett Cooper homered and drove in two runs, and Miami won in Atlanta.
Tempers were calm a day after Pablo López was ejected for hitting Ronald Acuña Jr. on his first pitch of the game. The Marlins got a big assist from Alcantara, who saved the bullpen from extra work a day after Miami had to use five relievers to cover nine innings.
Alcantara (5-7) walked the first two batters he faced and issued two free passes in the third, but didn’t allow a hit until Ozzie Albies singled with two outs in the third. He gave up one unearned run and five hits with four walks and four strikeouts, improving to 2-0 with a 2.68 ERA in six career starts against Atlanta.
ASTROS 3, INDIANS 2: Jake Odorizzi controlled Cleveland’s hitters for six innings, Carlos Correa homered and Houston didn’t miss a beat despite being down a couple stars in a win in Cleveland over the banged-up Indians, who have lost a season-high five straight.
Odorizzi (3-3) allowed one earned run and four hits while pitching into the seventh. The right-hander has only allowed two runs over 20 innings in his last four starts.
Houston’s bullpen, which has been shaky for much of the season, came through. Ryne Stanek and Cristian Javier worked an inning apiece before Ryan Pressly pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 14th save in 15 chances.
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