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GAME UPDATE
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- David Cone was the first to say three dominating
innings that counted for nothing didn't make up for two horrible
months.
|  | | Robin Ventura of the Mets, disguised as teammate Mike Piazza, slides into home plate after the game at Yankee Stadium was rained out Sunday. |
Cone's best start in more than a month -- three hitless innings --
was washed away Sunday night as the finale of the Mets-Yankees
Subway Series was rained out.
"I won't grasp at three innings and tell you guys I'm back,"
said a frustrated Cone, who got his only win of the season April 28
against Toronto. "I need to prove it over 5-10 starts. I know I
can be a dominating pitcher, not just a six-inning pitcher who can
keep us in the game."
The Yankees led 1-0 when the game was stopped with one out in
the bottom of the third. Lightning flashed just outside Yankee
Stadium and there was a big clap of thunder before the umpires
called for the tarp to be put on the field.
The rain got heavier during the delay and the game was called
after a wait of 1 hour, 31 minutes, sending home an unhappy sellout
crowd.
No makeup date was immediately announced, although the most
likely scenario might be a day-night doubleheader either July 7 or
July 8, with one game at Yankee Stadium and another at Shea.
"That might be fun," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "Make
it a true Subway Series and take over the city for a day."
The Yankees were less concerned with when to complete the series
than the apparent rebirth of one of their most important pitchers.
Even wasting a 1-0 lead in the third inning didn't dampen manager
Joe Torre's spirits.
"I'm much happier that David pitched well without a decision
than winning 10-9," Torre said. "He had to be pleased with his
performance."
Cone, who struggled with a 1-6 record and 6.49 ERA coming in,
walked two and struck out four during a sharp, 44-pitch outing.
The former Cy Young winner was embarrassed about all the talk
about one three-inning performance, but Cone understood it.
"I've been awful," he said. "A lot of the questions and
speculation have been valid. I still have to deal with it. I still
feel I can do it."
Pitching on five days rest -- one more than usual -- Cone once
again looked dominant. He got Edgardo Alfonzo to wave at a slider
to end the first inning, and froze Mike Piazza on an inside
fastball to open the second.
"If he was going to keep throwing like that it might have been
a tough night for us," Piazza said.
Over the past two seasons, Cone has excelled with extra rest. He
is 10-7 with a 2.70 ERA with at least five days between starts, and
3-8 with a 6.31 ERA with four days off.
He has struggled especially since pitching a perfect game last
July 18 against Montreal, losing 11 of 14 decisions.
"I feel like I knew what I was doing. I feel like I had a
plan," he said. "But I'm not out of the woods yet."
The Yankees scored the game's only run in the second inning on a
sacrifice fly by Chris Turner against Mike Hampton.
Game
notes
Mets 3B Robin Ventura provided the most excitement after
the game was called. Donning a Piazza jersey and a fake mustache
made of eye-black, Ventura strode to the plate dragging his bat
like the Mets All-Star catcher. He called time twice, swung and ran
sliding head first into second base. He stood up, water dripping
off him, and ran home, sliding head first and sending water
spraying 12 feet in the air. Valentine, who was watching from the
dugout with Piazza, Hampton and other Mets, signaled safe -- the
Mets' only run of the night. "I've been taking notes for about a
year and a half," Ventura said. "It was just sheer boredom. It
was a long rain delay, a long weekend." ... The teams split the
first two games of the series and the Yankees lead the overall
Subway Series 8-6. ... The Yankees start a series Monday against
Boston, with Orlando Hernandez pitching against Brian Rose. ... The
Mets are off Monday before playing a two-game set against the Cubs
at Wrigley Field. Reed will pitch the opener and Hampton will pitch
Wednesday, pushing back Glendon Rusch until the weekend. ...
Yankees 2B Chuck Knoblauch, who has not played since last Sunday
because of a sore left forearm, is expected to start Monday.
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