The Mets then cut it to 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth. Fried exited at 98 pitches after his first of the inning hit Brandon Nimmo and then pinch-hitters Mauricio and Baty greeted reliever Jonathan Loaisiga with singles to load the bases.

NEW YORK — Here were the Yankees at their best: the lineup smashing homers and doubles early, the ace and bullpen surviving a rocky middle, the fielders making clutch, heady plays to save the day. After a week in the wilderness, the Yankees found their way to the clearing of Monday’s off day. They are bruised but breathing.

The Yankees are playing sloppy baseball, and the Mets already have slugged their way to a Subway Series victory before Sunday’s finale. The Mets thoroughly outplayed the Yankees again in a 12-6 dusting in front of 41,401 on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in which the sun appropriately shined longer on the Mets’ dugout.