Walker shuts down Yanks, Mets take series opener 8-3

NEW YORK (AP) — Taijuan Walker took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Brandon Nimmo provided a spark in his return from the injured list and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 8-3 Saturday to open a three-game Subway Series.

The Mets already led 8-0 when Aaron Judge homered with one out in the sixth to end Walker's bid for the record-tying eighth no-hitter in the majors this season.

Walker (7-3) was lifted after 5 2/3 innings and got a standing ovation from thousands of Mets fans among the season-high crowd of 40,047 at Yankee Stadium — the highest attendance for either New York team since before the coronavirus pandemic.

“Let's go Mets” chants got minimal pushback from frustrated Yankees fans, many believing their season completely off the rails before the Subway Series began.

Playing for the first time since a brutal 11-8 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, the Yankees slogged through another frustrating defeat with just three hits, all in the sixth inning. They have dropped six of seven and fell to 41-40 after starting the day 9 1/2 games behind AL East-leading Boston.

Walker allowed two runs, two hits and two walks, striking out five on 106 pitches. His ERA rose slightly to 2.44 during a breakout season after signing a $23 million, three-year free agent contract in February.

Nimmo had three hits along with a hard lineout in his first game since a detached hand ligament sidelined him two months ago. The Mets leadoff hitter lifted his average to .333 and his on-base percentage to .435.

Jordan Montgomery (3-3) stranded five Mets baserunners over the first three innings to keep it scoreless, but the visitors broke through in the fifth.

Nimmo hit a one-out single, Francisco Lindor followed with another and Dominic Smith scored Nimmo from second...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Walker-shuts-down-Yanks-Mets-take-series-opener-16292088.php