Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yanks get swept away

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yanks get swept away: By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 31- For the first time since the inter league Subway Series started in 1997 with the two New York b...

Yanks get swept away

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 31- For the first time since the inter league Subway Series started in 1997 with the two New York baseball teams, the Mets swept the cross-town rival Yankees with a 3-1 win Thursday night in the Bronx. The home-and-home series of four games that started in Flushing Queens Monday night concluded in the Bronx with two more games at Yankee Stadium

And for the Mets, a team that had been struggling, the series brought out the best in them with good pitching, timely hitting, and they left the Bronx with a season high five-game winning streak.

The Yankees, on the other hand, are the New York team now in a struggle. They lost their fifth straight, a season high and get ready for division rival Boston for the start of a three-game series that begins Friday evening at Yankee Stadium.

“When you play 162-games you are going to go through these things,” commented Yankees manager Joe Girardi. It is the longest season losing streak under Girardi as manager and the Yankees have now dropped seven of their last nine games.

The Mets streak matched their longest of the last two seasons. They came to the Bronx and picked up where they left off in Queens. That included getting in front early and outstanding pitching.

Thursday night, it was Dillon Gee who quieted the Yankees lineup that suddenly seems vulnerable to the strikeout, as they await the return of first baseman Mark Teixiera and third baseman Kevin Youkillis.

Both continued to rehab with appearances Thursday at Double-A Trenton. They went 1-for-3 against Erie, played seven innings and could be activated this weekend during the Boston series.

But the way, Gee, the Mets’ right hander pitched Thursday night it was hard to get hold of his fastball and changeup. He got his second win in the month of May, the other coming the first of the month against the Marlins. More importantly, Gee needed to step up as his spot in the Mets rotation is in jeopardy with the arrival soon of rookie prospect Zach Wheeler.

Gee struck out a career-high 12, in 7.1 innings, walked none and after a one-out home run ball to Robinson Cano, he retried his last 15 batters. It was his longest outing since going 6/1-3 innings after having shoulder surgery last July to remove a blood clot from his pitching shoulder.

Mets pitchers in the last three games did not issue a walk which also tied a franchise record done three previous times.

“Obviously it’s fun to be out there and pitch, like that,” commented Gee. “Tonight was to be aggressive as possible and force contact and be the guy to control the game.

Gee, (3-6) admitted he had no idea that his pitch count was at 88-pitches and that he had amounted a career high in strike outs until he left the mound. Collins told him good job, and it was not done for precaution. The situation with Robinson Cano due up in the inning had more to do with it.

Regardless, the Yankees had no idea how to attack Gee. And in three of the four games with their cross-town rivals, they were held to one-run.

Girardi said it was no fun the past four games. Losing will do that, so will a five-game losing streak. “Up until these first five games we have been winning a lot of series,” he said.

The optimism was the quality start from left hander Vidal Numo. He made a cause to stay in the Yankees rotation when Andy Pettitte returns from the 15-day disabled list. Pettitte threw 76 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday down in Tampa.

Nuno,(1-2) limited the Mets to 3-hits and two earned runs. He tossed a career high 6.0 innings for the second straight start, retiring 15 of the final 16 batters he faced and did not allow a hit after a double by Anthony Recker in the second inning.

The tenth Yankees rookie pitcher to make a start in the S ubway Series, Nuno was touched for two runs in the second inning. Marlon Byrd hit his second home run in as many days, his sixth of the season that gave the Mets another early inning lead in the four game series.

“It’s hard to lose to your cross-town rivals but it happens,” said Girardi.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Weiner Pops Up

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Weiner Pops Up: Riverdale Report By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 30- Last week the Ben Franklin Democratic Club (BFDC) held a mayoral forum, and th...

Weiner Pops Up

Riverdale Report

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 30- Last week the Ben Franklin Democratic Club (BFDC) held a mayoral forum, and the big question was if Anthony Weiner was going to show. 

Weiner announced that he is running for mayor just two days before the BFDC mayoral forum so he was not listed on the program that went out before he announced. The BFDC said the day before their mayoral forum that yes indeed candidate Anthony Weiner would participate in the mayoral forum. Weiner was joined by Bill DeBlasio, Bill Thompson, Christine Quinn, Sal Albanese, and Erick Salgado in a format where the candidates spoke alone and answered questions that came from the audience. John Liu was scheduled as the last speaker in this forum, but was stuck in traffic and did not make it to the forum before it ended. Most of the candidates were going from event to event, borough to borough.

Hours before the forum trucks began showing up from the various local television stations since this would be Weiner's first mayoral forum after he announced his candidacy only two days ago. Reporters wanted to see the reaction from the audience to Weiner, and if the club who supported Weiner in 2005 would do it again in 2013. This however was not a debate where the candidates would interact, but a forum where each candidate was given 6 minutes to speak and then up to 7 minutes to answer questions from the audience.

The first Democratic mayoral candidate to speak was current Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio. DeBlasio spoke of “A tale of two cities” almost sounding like a rerun of Freddy Ferrer when he ran in 2005. He said that he wants to build 200,000 units of affordable housing, and tax the wealthy to pay for Pre-k and after school programs.

Second was former councilman Sal Albanese. He said that with his 11 years as a teacher that poverty is the main reason many children fail in school. He wants to have more pediatric wellness centers, and create more jobs. Upon questioning Albanese said that education will be his top priority, as well as affordable housing, and senior programs.

Third was long shot candidate Rev. Erick Salgado. The attention however was taken away from Salgado when Anthony Weiner entered the room. As Weiner moved to his seat to wait to speak he was followed by a dozens of cameras, and reporters. Salgado had given a brief history of himself, and closed by saying that he wants to rent out the public schools when they are not being used to non-profits.

Fourth was former City Comptroller Bill Thompson. Thompson spoke of his experience as President of the old Board of Education saying more student gains were made back in 1999 when Rudy Crew was Chancellor then now while a prosecutor was in charge (without naming Joel Klein). He then went on to slam the mayor and city council (not naming Speaker Quinn) for changing the term limit law in 2008. Thompson also said that of the 76 newly announced schools that only 2 were really new schools, and the others were only schools that were closed and were being reopened as new schools. He ended by thanking the BFDC for their endorsement in 2009 and said that he can win in 2013 with the clubs endorsement.

Fifth was former congressman Anthony Weiner. Weiner opened up about how his grandparents lived in Riverdale, and moved to his parents settling in Queens. After a few more words Weiner then said that he was sorry that he had made a terrible mistake, and asked the audience for forgiveness. Weiner spoke more of health care saying that the city has health care facilities that need to be used more to keep the costs low. He said that he has ideas on education, and that the city is now worse off then in 2005. He thanked the BFDC for their endorsement in 2005, and said that the city needs to elect a Democratic as mayor, and that he can do it in 2013.

Sixth and last was current City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Quinn tried to take credit for almost everything in the city from keeping the crime rate low and fire houses open to the Living Wage Bill. On a question of changing the term limit law Quinn said that in 2008 Councilman G. Oliver Koppell (who had left by then) and other members of the council came up with the change of the term limit law. To a question of being overbearing Quinn said that she is tough, pushy and fights for the city every day. She ended by saying that she is “One Pushy Broad”.

After Quinn finished there was a wait, but BFDC President Ellen Feld said that John Liu would not be speaking as he was held up in traffic, and then ended the forum. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to see photos of the candidates and read more about the forum. There was no winner or loser as this was not a debate where the candidates interacted, but a forum where each spoke one at a time. After the forum was over I asked many in the audience if they could forgive candidate Anthony Weiner as he had asked. The results were that most men asked said yes, while most women said no with a couple of women even saying that they could not vote for a pervert.

On Tuesday May 28th the BFDC held an endorsement meeting to vote to endorse a candidate for mayor. Since this endorsement meeting is after our deadline I will have the results next week. Unlike the Bronx Democratic County organization who has already endorsed Bill Thompson for mayor I believe that the BFDC will be true to their independence and will not endorse any candidate for mayor at the May 28th endorsement meeting. That way the club can have petitions from all the mayoral candidates and not anger any of its members who may like one specific candidate.

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bronx Massacre

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bronx Massacre: Mets Beat Up on Yanks in Bx. By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 30- On Wednesday, the scene of the Subway Series shift...

Bronx Massacre

Mets Beat Up on Yanks in Bx.

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 30- On Wednesday, the scene of the Subway Series shifted to Yankee Stadium but the results were the same.

A third consecutive pitchers’ duel did not take place as the Mets batters very quickly realized they were in a different atmosphere than at pitching friendly Citi Field.

Yankees hurler David Phelps was only able to retire one of the eight batters he faced in the first inning. Three singles, a double, two walks and an error by third sacker Jayson Nix accounted for five runs and an early shower for Phelps. Reliever Preston Claiborne ended the carnage by retiring the next two batters.

Mets skipper Terry Collins told reporters of the importance of that inning for his club, “[There were] some great at bats in the first inning. That took a lot of heat off Hef[ner] and gave him a chance to pitch his game.”

The outcome was determined by the first eight batters in the game, but the game continued for eight more innings. Marlon Byrd hit a solo homer to right in the third. Lucas Duda doubled in two runs in the fourth, which gave the Mets an insurmountable 8-0 advantage.

Although each team registered 12 hits, in the final score the Mets were ahead by five runs, 9-4. The nine runs were the highest the Mets have scored in one game since April 12, when they scored 16.

The performances of several players were important to their immediate futures and to their teams’ success this season. The Mets had lost all nine of Jeremy Hefner’s starts this year. The native of Oklahoma recorded his first victory of 2012 by pitching six effective innings. He attributed the key to his success to “pitching effectively inside.” He expressed his excitement in starting at Yankee Stadium. “You watch the Yankees on TV wherever you live. Pitching here is cool.”

Ike Davis was another hero of the game who needed a strong showing to remain in the majors. In his previous 16 games, Davis was 4 for 53 for a batting average of .053 with 24 strikeouts. Davis knocked Phelps from the game with a two-run single. He also singled again later in the game.

Collins spoke with feeling and praise for the beleaguered first baseman, “You have to root for him. He’s a tremendous guy. To get him started is a huge boost. If he’s moving forward, we’ll be a better team.”

Yankees hurler Ivan Nova, after a month on the disabled list, made his second relief appearance since April of 2011. He pitched five innings, perhaps in preparation for a future start. Nova gave up one run in his final inning. He yielded only five hits and a walk while fanning six. His control was excellent as 46 of his 61 pitches were strikes. 

Yankee manager Joe Girardi remarked, “He threw the ball well tonight and that’s encouraging.”

The Mets will attempt to sweep the four games by starting Dillon Gee (2-6) on Thursday evening. The Yanks will attempt to stop the seep with rookie Vidal Nuño (1-1).

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Caught on Tape: Cops Hunt Chain Snatchers

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Caught on Tape: Cops Hunt Chain Snatchers: (Cops say this man ripped a chain off a woman’s neck as she rode the subway.) By Dan Gesslein BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 29- Police are lo...