Mets Monday: 2014 Subway Series Game 1

I realize it isn't technically Monday, but last night was Monday and I was at the game last night so I'm writing about it today and calling it Monday. Sue me. Last night's game kicked off the 2014 Subway Series between my beloved Mets and the time from across the city, the Yankees. It was a night of firsts for me: the first time I went to a Subway Series game; the first time I've caught a game at the new Yankee Stadium; and the first time my girlfriend and I have gone to a game together.

One of us has bad taste in headgear. Hint: it's the cute one on the right.

It was a fun night. As a little background to last night's game, in last year's entry into the ongoing rivalry between these two teams, the Mets won all four games in a split-stadium series sweep (can you tell how much I really love alliteration?). With that in mind, going into game-time last night, I was hoping for another win to continue the dominance, since the Yankees seem to be the only thing my beleaguered Metsies have been able to dominate in the last year or two, while my wonderful love was hoping for a little retribution.

Except for the right-field corner, great seats. Well, and except for the people sitting around us...

Unfortunately for her, my streak of never wanting to see my girlfriend sad came to an end last night, as I got to enjoy another Mets victory. It was a real back-and-forth game, with the Mets drawing blood first and the Yankees answering back with a demoralizing grand slam. The Metsies crawled back to tie the game, only to see the Yanks pull ahead again... and the the Mets slowly crawled back to take the lead yet again, a lead they came damn close to blowing in the bottom of the ninth before a spectacular defensive gem by Lucas Duda at first base led to a game-saving, game-ending double play.

Farnsworth, however, who couldn't find the strike zone if the umpire held up a big red friggin' target, shouldn't be allowed to celebrate.

As far as Yankee Stadium goes, I don't remember my few trips to the original to compare the new one, but I can say I like Citi Field much better. Citi Field felt roomier to me, with better sight lines and more things to enjoy, like a much larger food and drink selection.  As I said to my girlfriend, the two stadiums seem to be designed on different profit plans: Yankee Stadium is built around getting as many people into the ballpark as possible, while Citi Field seems designed more around getting your money through concessions and activities. Neither is right or wrong, and they both still end up costing you an arm and a leg. I will say this though: never in all the games I've gone to at Citi Field have I been sold sodas and waters well past the expiration dates on the bottles the way I was at Yankee Stadium last night, so that's some major points lost to Yankee Stadium.

Hell, even the awful vendors in the toilet bowl of baseball, Shea Stadium, never stooped that low.

But back to what's important. There are still three more games to go in this year's Subway Series.

Let's go Mets!