The Yankees did everything they could on Tuesday to deliver a manageable lead to their closer, Aroldis Chapman. Sonny Gray fired six solid innings in his Yankee Stadium debut, Jacoby Ellsbury and Gary Sanchez each homered to power the offense, and Tommy Kahnle and Dellin Betances held the visiting Mets scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings.
So despite Chapman’s recent struggles, the Yankees still held a three-run cushion in entering the final frame of an eventual 5-4 victory. But after striking out Wilmer Flores to begin the inning, Chapman coughed up a single to pinch-hitter Jose Reyes and then a two-run homer to the Mets’ rookie shortstop Amed Rosario.