The fans who booed all series long ended up laughing (and cheering) last.
Round 1 of maybe 30 Juan Soto Bowls over the next 15 years went to the home team largely because of three surprises: the most impressive at-bat of Jorbit Vivas’ career, Pete Alonso taking his slump to the field and a stunning, six-run bottom of the eighth.
The Yankees broke through in the frame to grab the most thrilling and tense 8-2 victory you will see, beating the Mets in The Bronx in front of a season-high 48,028 — who might have created the loudest game of the team’s season.
Soto going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and an eighth-inning rally to remember demanded plenty of noise.
In the eighth against fireballing Ryne Stanek, the Yankees put two in scoring position for Vivas, a 24-year-old rookie playing in his 15th career game. He conducted an at-bat in which he looked like a 15-year vet.
Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees reacts after he hits a grand slam during the eighth inning against the Mets Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Yankee Stadium Robert Sabo for NY Post
Facing 100 mph heat, he went down 0-2, fouled a couple of fastballs and then ignored three pitches out of the zone. He fouled off three more four-seamers, a battle that would make Soto proud. Finally — on pitch 11 — he sent a ground ball Alonso’s way.
The Mets first baseman, whose brilliant April has given way to a rough May, fielded and threw the ball to the backstop, Jasson DomÃnguez diving home for the go-ahead run.
Pete Alonso Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The dam broken, the runs began racing in.
Paul Goldschmidt followed with an RBI single. A Trent Grisham walk loaded the bases, and Cody Bellinger blasted a grand slam just out of the reach of Soto’s glove in right, electrifying the home crowd and home dugout.
On one night at least, the Yankees offseason Plan B — six excellent, two-run innings from Max Fried, a nice day from Goldschmidt and six RBIs from Bellinger — beat both their own Plan A and the Mets.
Jasson DomÃnguez of the New York Yankees scores on a throwing error by Pete Alonso of the New York Mets during the eighth innning. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The Yankees (27-19) have won eight of 11, and the Mets (29-18) halted a three-series winning streak to conclude a three-game set that lived up to the hype. The Bronx fans alternated pitchforks with pompoms to create an atmosphere that felt like October.
The way the teams played Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday added some belief that maybe they can bring this rivalry to the game’s largest stage.
A couple of the better lefties in baseball dueled deep into the game, Fried and David Peterson with identical lines (six innings, two runs allowed).
Fried was more in control, scattering just three hits while walking two and striking out eight. He was given a 2-0 lead in the first, and the Mets more squeezed than powered their only two runs to tie the game.
In the second, a swinging bunt from Mark Vientos and a walk to Brandon Nimmo created traffic. With two outs, a first-pitch-swinging Jeff McNeil lined a single over Anthony Volpe’s head, Vientos successfully challenging Grisham’s arm and scoring when the throw was off line.
Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees hits a grand slam during the eighth inning. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Génesis Cabrera #92 of the New York Mets reacts in the dugout in the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Bronx, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The Mets tied the game in the fifth, when again McNeil was involved. He walked, was bunted to second, moved to third on another groundout and then watched Fried bounce a 2-2 curveball to Soto. The ball caromed far enough away from Austin Wells for McNeil to score with a head-first dive to make it 2-2.
The Yankees only got to Peterson as the game started, and it required an asterisk (and an unearned run).
Goldschmidt reached on an error from Vientos, and he moved to third on a ground-rule double from Aaron Judge. Bellinger snuck a ground ball down the first base line, caroming off Alonso’s glove and into foul territory for a two-run double.
That would not be the last defensive play Alonso would have liked back.