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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Paul O'Neill couldn't explain it. Derek Bell
couldn't believe it. But the result was clear: O'Neill's home-run saving grab
re-established the Yankees' position as the best team in New York
for at least one night.
|  | | Yankees right fielder Paul O'Neill robs Derek Bell of a two-run homer that would have tied the game in the eighth. |
With the Yankees' superiority in question for the first time in
years, O'Neill saved the game with his leaping grab in the eighth
inning to back Orlando Hernandez and preserve a 2-1 win over the
Mets on Friday.
"For me to explain a play like that, it happened so quickly it
was like an infielder driving for the ball," O'Neill said. "It
just ended up in my glove. You ask how or why. It's just
reaction."
After Melvin Mora tripled with one out in the eighth inning,
Bell hit a towering drive into to the wind in right field. O'Neill
went back to the wall and timed his jump perfectly, reaching about
two feet over the eight-foot wall to bring back a sure, game-tying
home run.
"That was the game right there," Yankees second baseman Jose
Vizcaino said. "That was a home run. If not for that catch, we'd
still be playing."
Hernandez (8-6) pumped his fist on the mound and Bell rolled his
eyes in disbelief when O'Neill took the ball out of his glove to
show the umpire.
"Any other night, any other day it would have been way gone,"
Bell said.
It was by far the most dramatic moment in a tight Subway Series
opener dominated by Hernandez and Al Leiter (10-2) and witnessed by
54,132 fans -- the largest crowd at Shea in 28 years.
"A lot of the games haven't lived up to what you guys wanted,"
O'Neill said. "This one did."
With the Yankees pitching staff in disarray because of recent
injuries to Hernandez, Roger Clemens and Ramiro Mendoza and the
ineffectiveness of David Cone, the World Series champions had
fallen into second place in both the AL East and the city standings.
That put even added importance on the already over-hyped series
and Hernandez pitched like it was the playoffs. El Duque, who is
5-0 with a 1.02 ERA in the postseason, was just as stingy on a warm
July night against the Mets.
He allowed one run and five hits in eight innings and helped the
Yankees win three straight for the first time in two months and
move a half-game ahead of Toronto.
"He was very aggressive and intense out there," catcher Jorge
Posada said. "He showed how much he really wants to win big games."
The teams will be back at it early and often Saturday, playing a
1:20 p.m. game at Shea Stadium before trekking across the Triboro
Bridge for a night game at Yankee Stadium.
Mayor Rudy Giuliani -- the highest-ranking Yankee fan in the city -- watched the game in a box next to the Yankees dugout with GM
Brian Cashman and had to enjoy the first inning.
Chuck Knoblauch led off with a walk, but was picked off first.
Leiter, who had beaten the Yankees three straight times, allowed
four straight two-strike singles to Derek Jeter, O'Neill, Bernie
Williams and Posada to fall behind 2-0.
The All-Star left-hander then retired 19 of the next 20 batters
and wasn't threatened again. But the damage had been done.
"We've had all kinds of trouble against him in the past,"
O'Neill said. "We were fortunate to get something off him."
Hernandez was his normal fidgety self on the mound, tugging at
his shirt and hat and demonstratively shaking off signs from
Posada. But he was coolly efficient in his pitching, getting in
front of hitters and keeping the Mets off-balance with his wide
array of pitches and arm angles.
He didn't allow a runner to reach third base until Mora's triple
with one out in the eighth. Mora scored on Bell's drive, but
Hernandez turned over a 2-1 lead to Mariano Rivera, who earned his
19th save in 22 chances.
After Todd Zeile singled with two outs off Rivera, Jay Payton
lined a potential game-tying double about two feet foul down the
right-field line. Payton hit a routine fly ball to O'Neill to end
the game.
Hernandez kept the crowd relatively subdued early in the game.
The slightly pro-Mets crowd perked up in the fifth when Hernandez
walked the first two hitters.
El Duque then brought the Yankees' fans out of their seats when
he speared a line drive by Benny Agbayani, wheeled and threw to
second to double off Zeile. Jeter's relay for a possible triple
play was a shade late.
"We just needed a break tonight and we didn't get it and they
did," Agbayani said.
Leiter, who had won five straight decisions, allowed two runs
and six hits in eight innings.
"I pitched well, but El Duque pitched better," Leiter said.
Game notes
The Yankees lead the series with the Mets 9-6. ... The
crowd was the biggest at Shea since the Mets drew 54,198 against
Houston on June 10, 1972. ... Williams has a 17-game hitting
streak. ... The Yankees last won three straight May 3-6. ...
O'Neill lined a foul ball off the left shin of first base coach Lee
Mazzilli in the sixth inning.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
NY Yankees Clubhouse
NY Mets Clubhouse
Mets, Yanks in rare Subway Series twinbill
Gooden ready for emotional day at Shea
RECAPS
Chi. White Sox 4
Chicago Cubs 2
Atlanta 5
Boston 3
Tampa Bay 8
Florida 3
Montreal 10
Toronto 5
Pittsburgh 8
Minnesota 6
NY Yankees 2
NY Mets 1
Cincinnati 2
Cleveland 1
Baltimore 2
Philadelphia 1
Houston 9
Kansas City 5
Milwaukee 4
Detroit 3
Texas 5
San Diego 4
Anaheim 12
Colorado 4
Oakland 5
Arizona 4
Los Angeles 3
Seattle 2
San Francisco 4
St. Louis 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Paul O'Neill can't explain his catch that took a homer away from Derek Bell.
wav: 91 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Mike Piazza says the Mets and Yankees played a good game on Friday.
wav: 97 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Al Leiter would like to be on the other end of the 2-1 score.
wav: 141 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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