Carlos Delgado looked like the Delgado of five years ago, helping the Mets to a resounding win at Yankee Stadium. One rush-hour bus trip later, it was time for a new Yankee to show he has plenty left in the tank, too.
Sidney Ponson pitched a gem, silencing Delgado and the rest of the New York Mets in a 9-0 victory Friday night to help the Yankees earn a split in their day-night, two-stadium doubleheader.
Delgado dominated the first game. He set a Mets record with nine RBIs and hit a grand slam for one of his two homers in a 15-6 win at Yankee Stadium that lasted 3 hours, 54 minutes.
“I got lucky,” said Delgado, who turned 36 on Wednesday. “Every time I came up it seems like they had a lot of guys on base so I got some good pitches to hit and I was able to drive them.”
After both squads got police escorts for their rush-hour bus trips to Shea Stadium, Bobby Abreu went 4-for-4 with a walk and three RBIs as the Yankees enjoyed a rout of their own.
“You have to be able to respond,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.
Ponson outpitched Pedro Martinez with six shutout innings, and the Bronx Bombers broke loose in Queens for their first win in four Subway Series games this season.
“It was a big start for us tonight,” Girardi said. “He gave us everything we needed.”
In other interleague games on Friday, it was: the Chicago White Sox 10, the Chicago Cubs 3; Detroit 7, Colorado 1; Tampa Bay 10, Pittsburgh 5; Cleveland 6, Cincinnati 0; Atlanta 4, Toronto 0; Washington 4, Baltimore 2; Boston 6, Houston 1; Texas 8, Philadelphia 7; Minnesota 7, Milwaukee 6; Kansas City 7, St. Louis 2; Oakland 4, San Francisco 1; Seattle 5, San Diego 2; and the Los Angeles Dodgers 6, the Los Angeles Angels 0. Florida defeated Arizona 3-1 in the lone NL game.
Robinson Cano homered and drove in three runs for the Yankees, who have won 10 of 14 overall. Derek Jeter extended his season-high hitting streak to 15 games with an RBI double off the center-field fence.
With a history of off-the-field trouble, Ponson pitched well for Texas this season but was cut for being a disruption to the team.
Missing three injured starters, the Yankees signed him to a minor league deal last week and he made one four-inning start at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before drawing a big assignment against the crosstown rival Mets.
Ponson (5-1), who pitched briefly for the Yankees in 2006, pumped his fist after wriggling out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the second.
He loaded the bases in the third, too, then escaped again when Ramon Castro grounded sharply into an inning-ending double play. Ponson pitched around five hits and four walks, one intentional.
“It’s a fresh start,” Ponson said. “I’m more comfortable here.”
The Yankees soon got to Martinez (2-2), who allowed six runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings while dropping his second consecutive start.
“I’m just not doing my job and that’s something to worry about. It’s time for me for getting better, not getting worse. I’ve got to make some adjustments,” Martinez said. “The health is there. It’s not physically, it’s got to be mechanically.”
After the Yankees left a season-worst 14 runners on base in the opener, the Mets stranded eight in the first three innings of the nightcap.
Alex Rodriguez went 3-for-4 in the opener with a long home run for the Yankees that landed in Monument Park. Dan Giese (1-3) allowed six runs in four-plus innings.
Mike Pelfrey (5-6) struggled through five innings but managed to get the win. He gave up four runs and eight hits.
White Sox 10, Cubs 3
Nick Swisher’s grand slam capped a seven-run third inning against Ryan Dempster (9-3) and the White Sox beat the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field.
Jose Contreras (7-6) pitched six-plus innings and allowed seven hits, including three homers.
Braves 4, Blue Jays 0
At Toronto, Mark Teixeira hit a two-run homer and Jair Jurrjens (8-3) pitched a career-high eight innings.
Blue Jays right-hander Dustin McGowan (6-6) lost for just the second time in seven home starts this season.
Tigers 7, Rockies 1
At Detroit, Eddie Bonine (2-0) limited Colorado to five hits over eight innings in his third major league start.
Ubaldo Jimenez (2-8) gave up four runs and nine hits in four innings for Colorado.
Rays 10, Pirates 5
At Pittsburgh, Evan Longoria and Eric Hinske hit three-run homers off the Pirates’ Jimmy Barthmaier (0-1) in his major league debut.
Scott Kazmir (7-3) won for the first time in four starts despite lasting only five innings.
Nationals 4, Orioles 2
At Washington, Pinch-hitter Kory Casto doubled in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning to carry the Nationals to their second straight win following a four-game skid.
Indians 6, Reds 0
At Cleveland, C.C. Sabathia (6-8) struck out 11 over eight innings, including his hero Ken Griffey Jr. three times, to help the Indians beat the Reds.
Grady Sizemore hit his 18th homer off Daryl Thompson (0-1), drove in three runs and made a spectacular catch.
Royals 7, Cardinals 2
At Kansas City, Mo., Alex Gordon drove in four runs with a homer off Joel Pineiro (2-4) and a bases-loaded double and the Royals won for the 11th time in 12 games.
Twins 7, Brewers 6
At Minneapolis, Joe Mauer hit a go-ahead solo homer off reliever Guillermo Mota (2-4) in the eighth inning to lift the Twins to their 10th straight win, all against NL teams.
Matt Guerier (4-2) pitched the eighth for the win. Joe Nathan worked the ninth for his 22nd save.
Red Sox 6, Astros 1
At Houston, Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-1) limited the Astros to two hits in five scoreless innings.
J.D. Drew hit a three-run homer for Boston.
Rangers 8, Phillies 7
Milton Bradley hit a tiebreaking homer off Clay Condrey (1-1), Chris Davis homered in his first major league start and host Texas beat the slumping Phillies, who have lost eight of nine.
Mariners 5, Padres 2
At San Diego, Jarrod Washburn (3-7) won for the first time in eight starts and Seattle beat Randy Wolf (5-7) despite stranding a franchise-record 18 baserunners.
Dodgers 6, Angels 0
At Los Angeles, Chan Ho Park shut out the Angels over his six innings, Andre Ethier hit a three-run homer for the Dodgers.
Park (3-2) scattered four hits, struck out seven and did not walk a batter as the Dodgers beat Joe Saunders (11-4).
Athletics 4, Giants 1
At Oakland, Calif., Dana Eveland pitched his second-longest outing of the year to win his second straight decision, Jack Hannahan drove in two runs and the A’s extended their winning streak against the Giants to seven games.
Eveland (6-5) went 7 1-3 innings and allowed one or fewer earned runs for the seventh time in his 16 starts.
Marlins 3, Diamondbacks 1
Ricky Nolasco (8-4) struck out nine in eight effective innings, and Cody Ross homered to lift host Florida.
Micah Owings (6-7) gave up three runs on four hits in four-plus innings for Arizona.
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