BRONX, NY — There were tears, cheers and boos on the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks Friday night at Yankee Stadium as the Mets and Yankees opened up the second and final installment of this year’s Subway Series.
Before respective starters Carlos Rodón and Nolan McLean each toed the rubber in front of a sold out Bronx crowd of 47,410, those in attendance honored and paid their respects to the approximate 2,977 who tragically passed away 25 years ago to the devastating day of 9/11/2001.
As well as to the thousands that unfortunately have fallen days, weeks, months, and years after.
To pay tribute and honor the victims of the September 11th attacks from 25 years ago Friday night, the Yankees planned a pre-game ceremony with honor guards from the NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority Police, plus a group of 2001 Yankees alumni – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
And then there was baseball.
Normalcy.
Two-time American League LatinoMVP Pitcher of the Year Carlos Rodón (6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 Ks) outdueled Nolan McLean (5.0 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 5 Ks) in the Yankees’ 6-4 win over the Mets Friday night in the Bronx – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
United in some ways and others not so much with fans of the pinstripes letting Juan Soto hear it all night long.
An ongoing theme each time the 27-year-old Dominican superstar returns to Yankee Stadium, a ballpark Soto called home for the 2024 season—his only year as a Yankee and a historic one, helping get the Yankees back to the World Series—the franchise’s first Fall Classic appearance since 2009.
“Who knows?” Soto said to Mike Puma of the NY Post leading up to Friday’s Subway Series opener in regard to receiving boos from the pinstripe faithful.
“But they know I gave my best to them. Some of them appreciate it. Some of them don’t. You can’t control that.”
In his return back to the Bronx as the Mets lost 6-4 to the Yankees Friday night, Juan Soto went 1-5 with two strikeouts at the plate and the game-ending double play – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
That they do and don’t as Soto claimed, finishing 1-5 (two strikeouts). His fifth and final at-bat of the night put a bow on the Yankees’ 6-4 win over the Mets with a game-ending double play hit to veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt—firing a strike to rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr—who delivered one back to the 38-year-old.
A 6-3-3 to end it.
“The energy in the crowd was special. I’m glad it felt like I don’t want to say ‘celebration’ but it felt like you’d want a ballgame to feel like,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “I thought a lot of people were here having a great time on what for many is a difficult day obviously.”
Honoring first responders Friday night, the Mets and Yankees represented the FDNY (Fire Department of the City of New York), NYPD (New York City Police Department), Port Authority (Port Authority Police Department), DSNY (Department of Sanitation/NYC Sanitation), and EMS (Emergency Medical Services) on their hats—marking the second-time ever as September 11, 2021 at Citi Field was the first—the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks—a Yankees 8-7 win against the Mets.
Lifting the Yankees to a 4-1 lead against the Mets, Cody Bellinger broke Friday night’s Subway Series opener open with a second inning three run home run, his 14th HR of the season – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
“We’re both New York teams playing against each other, but the crowd felt united,” Yankees captain Aaron Judge said. “You forget about baseball, it’s more than baseball. It’s about being united as a country, as a city.”
“I thought it was pretty special for ‘God Bless America;’ you saw all of us on the line. The Mets hopped the fence. We didn’t tell the guys over there, so it was special to see us both out there just united.”
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