NEW YORK (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a three-run homer in the second inning off rookie Nolan McLean, and the New York Yankees beat the New York Mets 6-4 on Friday night.
Ben Rice also homered as the Yankees (85-62) won for the 17th time in 24 games and moved a season-high 23 games over .500 on a night the team remembered the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Rookie Spencer Jones added an RBI single in the first inning and Ryan McMahon hit an RBI single in the eighth
as the Yankees remained three games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East and moved 5 1/2 ahead of Boston for the first American League wild card.
Carlos Rodón (6-3) allowed two runs and three hits in a season-high 6 1/3 innings. The left-hander notched two of his eight strikeouts on slugger Juan Soto, who heard boos from Yankee fans before each at-bat.
Bellinger homered after catching the ceremonial first pitch from Brielle Saracini, whose father Victor Saracini was the pilot on United Airlines Flight 175, which was flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
Bellinger gave the Yankees a 4-1 lead by hitting a full-count curveball off McLean (11-9) into the right field seats. Rice added his 37th homer by sending a sinker the opposite way into the left field seats on the first pitch of the fifth.
After scoring 31 runs in a three-game sweep at Miami, the Mets had their four-game winning streak stopped. Christopher Morel hit a tying RBI groundout in the second, A.J. Ewing had an RBI single in the seventh and homered on the first pitch of the ninth.
After Ewing's homer, David Bednar retired Soto on a double play for his 33rd save in 36 chances.
McClean allowed five runs and a career-worst 10 hits in five innings.
Rookie LHP Zac Thornton (3-5, 3.53 ERA) starts for the Mets against RHP Gerrit Cole (8-8, 3.41) on Saturday.
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