YANKEE NOTES
As if Yankee Stadium didn’t have enough history, the venerable ballpark will add to its lore on July 8 when the Yankees and Mets play the second game of a day/night doubleheader in The Bronx after getting together at Shea earlier in the day.
When Sunday night’s Subway Series was called in the home third, it was widely speculated that a day/night deal would be the best way to make up the game. Yesterday, it became official. The Yankees and Mets will play the regularly scheduled game at 1:15 at Shea and again at 8:05 at Yankee Stadium.
“We’ll be part of history,” Chuck Knoblauch said.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it will be the second time in baseball history that two games between the same teams will be played at two stadiums. On Sept. 7, 1903, Labor Day, the New York Giants played two against the Brooklyn Superbas (later known as the Dodgers). The first game was held at Brooklyn’s Washington Park in the morning with the Giants winning, 6-4. The nightcap was held in the afternoon at the Polo Grounds and Brooklyn won, 3-0.
The two games were on the original NL schedule.
Understanding it will be an incredibly long day and one filled with intense pressure that will leave his club drained, Joe Torre is all for the special event.
“It will be different,” Torre acknowledged. “I think it’s fine. What’s good is that we will be able to finish at home on a Saturday night and will be able to sleep the next day because Sunday is a night game.”
Tickets to the game rained out Sunday (No. 29) will be honored at the night game on July 8. The game rained out Monday against the Red Sox will be made up on Sept. 11 at 6:05 p.m. Tickets for the washed out game Monday will be honored for the makeup.
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Ramiro Mendoza, who hasn’t pitched since May 30 because of a tender right shoulder, was available in relief last night. Mendoza will start Saturday vs. Chicago.