It was a classic start to this year’s NYBD Sim Series between the 1973 Mets and 2009 Yankees.

Tom Seaver took on CC Sabathia at the new Yankee Stadium and both delivered outstanding performances. In the end, it was the most unlikely member of the Yankees roster that did the most damage to give them a 1-0 lead.

Melky Cabrera‘s home run in the third and two-out RBI single in the 7th was all they needed in a 2-1 victory. He, along with Derek Jeter, flashed some leather to preserve the win. Sabathia went 8 innings and gave up a lone unearned run. Mariano Rivera closed the door by pitching a scoreless ninth.

The Mets jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third when manager Yogi Berra played small ball. After Nick Swisher dropped Don Hahn‘s fly ball to right, Buddy Harrelson sacrificed him to third. Wayne Garrett surprised Joe Girardi, who had the infield back, when he successful executed a safety squeeze to drive in the first run. Maybe General Joe needs to add the safety squeeze to his binder for this series since it’s all but extinct in the modern day American League. It nearly was more, as Rusty Staub drove one into the centerfield gap, but Melky Cabrera dove to make the play and keep it to a single run.

Tom Seaver would throw a gem, striking out 11 in his 8 innings of work. He couldn’t hold the lead though as Cabrera would hit a “Yankee Stadium home-run” to left field with one out in the bottom half of the third.

The Mets nearly took the lead in the sixth, but with Felix Milan on second, Derek Jeter robbed John Milner of a base hit with a diving play up-the-middle to keep the game tied.

Things would finally turn, as the Yankees put together a 1st and 3rd one out situation in the bottom of the 7th.

Jorge Posada started the rally with a single. Robinson Cano would follow with a sharp single, a play that John Milner could have made, but failed to get over to the hole quick enough. Seaver buckled down to get Swisher to pop out to short, but Cabrera struck again lining a single to left-field and giving the Yanks the lead.

The Mets could do little over the final two innings, as the only base runner was a two-out walk by Milner in the ninth. Felix Milan had 3 of the 4 Mets hits.

Game 2 is tonight as Jerry Koosman (14-15, 2.84) opposes A.J. Burnett (13-9, 4.04).

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Going into the game, 69% of the fans predicted the Yankees to win the series.

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Tags: 1973 Mets, 2009 Yankees, CC Sabathia, Derek Jeter, Melky Cabrera, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Tom Seaver, Yankee Stadium