Luke Weaver was a pleasant dream for his latest team and a nightmare for his old one Saturday night.
Carson Benge’s muff on a fly ball for an error in the seventh inning had the Yankees ready to pounce.
One run already across with nobody out, Weaver entered with the bases loaded and produced his signature moment to date in a Mets uniform.
The right-hander struck out Amed Rosario and then Trent Grisham before getting Anthony Volpe to hit a ground ball that became the final out, averting a crisis.
The Mets held on for a 6-3 victory at Citi Field, setting up a Subway Series rubber game on Sunday.
Weaver, who signed a two-year contract worth $22 million with the Mets last offseason after the Yankees showed only mild interest in retaining him, wasn’t finished after saving the Mets in the seventh.
He returned for the eighth and pitched a scoreless inning, highlighted by his sprint to cover first base that completed a 3-6-1 double play on Ben Rice’s grounder.
The Mets, who won for the fourth time in five games, received a big night from another former Yankee: Juan Soto reached base four times to lead the offensive attack.
If that wasn’t enough, Devin Williams — who pitched last season in The Bronx — got the final three outs for the save.
Carlos Rodón, in his second start for the Yankees since returning from offseason elbow surgery, threw 88 pitches over 3 ²/₃ innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts.
Huascar Brazobán, working as an opener for the third time this season, retired all four batters he faced.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. greeted David Peterson with a double in the second inning and Grisham’s RBI single with two outs produced the game’s first run.
Rodón gifted the Mets two runs in the third to put the Yankees in a 2-1 hole.
After Benge delivered a two-out double and Bo Bichette and Soto walked to load the bases, Rodón unloaded a wild pitch.
Rodón fielded the carom off the back wall bare-handed and attempted to nail Benge at the plate, but threw wild.
Bichette also scored.
The Mets got frisky again with two outs in the fourth.
Rodón walked Austin Slater before Brett Baty’s ensuing RBI double placed the Yankees in a 3-1 hole.
It was the final batter Rodón faced.
Jake Bird needed only three pitches to strike out Luis Torrens, ending the inning.
Peterson plunked Rice with one out in the fifth and walked Aaron Judge on a full-count pitch.
After Bichette failed to turn an inning ending double play on Cody Bellinger’s grounder — his throw to first was late after stepping on second — Paul Goldschmidt stroked an RBI single that sliced the Mets’ lead to 3-2. Peterson struck out Chisholm to escape further damage.
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Vientos’ two-run double in the fifth widened the Yankees’ deficit to 5-2.
Benge singled to begin the rally and Soto walked against lefty Brent Headrick before Vientos’ smash eluded the diving Amed Rosario at third base to bring in both runners.
Rosario doubled leading off the sixth against Peterson, who struck out Grisham but was then removed after walking Anthony Volpe for the second time.
Brooks Raley struck out Austin Wells and retired Rice to leave both runners on base.
Peterson created plenty of traffic in his appearance, allowing six hits and three walks that produced the Yankees’ two runs over four innings.
The lefty threw 82 pitches in his third straight outing in a bulk relief role.
Judge doubled leading off the seventh and Bellinger’s fly to right should have been the first out.
But the ball ticked off Benge’s glove for an error, allowing Judge to score.
Raley drilled Goldschmidt and allowed a bunt single to Chisholm that loaded the bases before departing with nobody out.
Weaver got the next three outs, without a run scoring.
The Mets reclaimed the run in the bottom of the inning on Vientos’ RBI groundout after Benge and Soto each singled.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
