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Aroldis Chapman melts down again in Yankees’ Game 1 loss to Mets

One team’s fortune is another team’s full-blown disaster -- its second in five days.

One team’s fortune is another team’s full-blown disaster — its second in five days.

The Mets became the latest club to crush Aroldis Chapman and Lucas Luetge, who tag-teamed to cough up another final-inning lead as the sinking Yankees suffered a brutal 10-5 loss in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday at Yankee Stadium.

Chapman blew a lead for the third straight appearance, as Pete Alonso took him deep to lead off the top of the seventh inning and tie the game at five. But Chapman didn’t stop there, hitting Michael Conforto on an 0-2 fastball and then walking Jeff McNeil, who was trying to bunt.

After failing to record an out, Chapman was booed off the mound — just like Gerrit Cole had been four innings earlier in his shortest start since 2016 — as Lucas Luetge came on to relieve him. It was the same duo that turned an 8-4 lead into an 11-8 loss on Wednesday night and they did it again Sunday.

Aroldis Chapman imploded again in the Yankees’ Game 1 loss to the Mets on July 4, 2021.
Corey Sipkin

Pinch-hitter Kevin Pillar greeted Luetge with a bloop single to load the bases before Luetge struck out pinch-hitter James McCann for the first out.

But a third straight pinch hitter delivered the go-ahead blow as Jose Peraza ripped a two-run double to left field — with a fan reaching over the left-field wall to interfere with the play, though left fielder Tim Locastro was not going to catch the drive.

Brandon Nimmo padded the Mets’ lead with a two-run single and Francisco Lindor added to the beatdown with an RBI single that stretched the Mets’ lead to 10-5.

The Yankees (41-41), who lost for the seventh time in eight games and fell back to .500 for the first time since May 7, had no fight left in the bottom of the seventh. Seth Lugo pitched a perfect inning to send the Mets (43-36) to a huge Game 1 win, clinching the series victory.

Pete Alonso watches as his game-tying home run off Aroldis Chapman leaves the yard.
Corey Sipkin

Cole, coming off his worst outing of the year when he gave up six runs against the Red Sox, gave up four runs on six hits and three walks in 3 ¹/₃ innings. It was his shortest start since Sept. 12, 2016.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Greg Joyce

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