Former Mets pitcher Don Cardwell died yesterday at the age of 72 in North Carolina. Traded to the Lovable Loser Mets in 1966, Cardwell's performance during 1969 mirrored that of the team itself and helped the Mets win the their division title on the way to their first World Series Championship. Like the Mets, Cardwell started the '69 season in a lackluster manner, posting a 3-9 win-loss record through the first four months of the......

Jim Leyritz, who played with the Yankees, from 1990-1996 and then again in 1999 and 2000, was arrested early Friday morning after getting in a car accident in Broward County, Florida. Thursday was Leyritz's 44th birthday and he was presumably driving his Ford Expedition home early Friday morning when witnesses said they saw him run a red light. His car hit a Mitsubishi Montero driven by 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch. The woman was ejected......

In news that isn't coming as a surprise to anyone, Alex Rodriguez, the former and probably future Yankees 3rd baseman, was named the American League Most Valuable Player today. It was the third time Rodriguez was named the MVP, winning previously in 2003 with the Rangers and in 2005 with the Yankees. This past season, A-Rod set career high marks in runs scored (143) and RBI (156). He also led baseball with 54 home runs......

Rudy Giuliani better check his sports allegiances. While campaigning in Boston, a reporter asked the former mayor which team he would be cheering for in the World Series - the Colorado Rockies or the Boston Red Sox. To our surprise (and Bostonist's), he went with the Red Sox, "I'm rooting for the Red Sox. I'm an American League fan, and I go with the American League team, maybe with the exception of the Mets. Maybe......

Nationals 10, Mets 9: Willie Randolph better be queuing up a tape of the 2006 Cardinals' September. Back then, they didn' t pitch, lost a ton of games down the stretch, and looked dead entering the playoffs. This year's Mets can identify. They can't seem to do anything right. Even with a six-run ninth-inning rally, the Mets came up one run short. At least Philadelphia lost to Atlanta -- still feels weird to root for......

Yankees 4, Blue Jays 1: Entering this game, who would have thought Joba Chamberlain would allow more runs than Mike Mussina? The rookie reliever's scoreless streak finally ended, but that's small potatoes in the Yankees' seventh straight win. Besides, his ERA's still at 0.00 because Alex Rodriguez's error allowed the run to score. Mussina's start makes a case for him to be of use in October, a month that each day seems more likely to......

Yankees 9 Toronto 2: Alex Rodriguez didn’t hit a home run, ending his streak at five-straight games. He did manage two hits, but it was some other Yankees that shouldered the offensive load for a change. Johnny Damon had a great game, going 3-for-5 and making an outstanding catch. Jason Giambi woke his slumbering bat with a grand slam and Jorge Posada added two hits and a home run. Phil Hughes did just enough and......

Mets 3 Braves 2: The Mets have chosen an opportune time to get hot. Not only are they bounding closer to their second-consecutive division crown (a first for the franchise) they are putting an end to the Braves’ playoff hopes. Oliver Perez improved to 4-1 against Atlanta this season, throwing seven strong innings allowing only two runs and striking out seven. David Wright continued his quest to become a 30-30 player with his 28th home......

Mets 3 Braves 2: Some people may question Willie Randolph’s managing, but they had better give him credit for this weekend. After a dismal sweep at the hands of the Phillies, the Mets responded in a huge way, sweeping their archrival in Atlanta. Tom Glavine contributed at both ends, driving in the first run of the game and allowing only one run in six innings. David Wright added his 25th home run of the year,......

Yankees 9, Devil Rays 6: Mike Mussina might want to worry now. Ian Kennedy threw seven innings of three-run ball -- though only one run was earned -- as the Yankees evened their series against the Devil Rays. Mussina might start if Roger Clemens is unable to go Monday, but the rookie Kennedy probably earned himself a few more starts with this one. Alex Rodriguez found himself at the center of everything today. He hit......

Mets 7, Braves 1: What the? After getting swept by the Phillies, the Mets managed to get a win against a team they've had little success against all this season. Boy did they need it too after losing five straight games. John Maine pitched marvelously over 7 innings, only allowing 3 hits. The one run the Braves scored came on a wild pitch in a tense 6th inning when the Braves had the bases loaded.......

Yankees 6, Indians 1: The Yankees played well against the soft part of their schedule and last night, against an actual playoff contender, they continued their recent winning ways (they've won 20 of the last 27 games). In his second start since returning from a May leg injury, Hughes, a key player in the future of the Yankees rotation, pitched brilliantly. He allowed only one run over 6 innings to the AL Central-leading Indians. Equally......

Braves 7, Mets 6: There was a 9th inning rally, but the Mets fell short and lost their 4th series against Atlanta this season. Down by 4 runs entering the 9th, the Mets clawed back to within one run before Oscar Villarreal picked up his first career save. In the 9th, Carlos Delgado almost tied the game with a home run, but Willie Harris robbed him with a leaping catch over the wall. It was......

Mets 4 Braves 3: This was a big statement game from the Mets. Not only did they come back from a 3-1 deficit late in the game, they pulled a remarkable escape in the ninth to preserve the win. Luis Castillo tied things up in the seventh with a two-out single and Moises Alou put the Mets ahead with a home run on an 0-2 pitch in the eighth. So, the Mets turned to Billy......

Yankees 9 Blue Jays 2: Tempers flared in Toronto as the Blue Jays decided to retaliate for a second day against Alex Rodriguez for his infamous “HA!”. Josh Towers plunked Alex and the benches emptied twice before play resumed. Things cruised along from there until Robinson Cano got hit, although it looked unintentional, in the seventh. But, that was enough for Roger Clemens who started the bottom of the seventh with a fastball away before......

Mets 8, Cubs 3: The pitcher's win is among the most overrated stat in baseball. When you pick up 300 of them, however, you probably don't stink. Surefire Hall-of-Famer Tom Glavine fits that description, though he was a legend long before he reached an arbitrary cutoff point. He went 6 1/3 innings to pick up his 300th career win in Chicago as the Mets took two of three from the Cubs. The veteran lefty......

Yankees 6, Blue Jays 1: Roger Clemens gave up a run in the first and didn't dazzle anyone with his brilliance during six innings, but that first-inning strike was all the Blue Jays would get. They would go on to rue their missed opportunities after Shaun Marcum controlled the Yankees for six innings before Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run double to start a four-run eighth. What does this win -- the Yankees' fifth straight --......

Reds 8, Mets 4: Double, bunt single, walk, grand slam. That's how this game started for John Maine, and the Mets never recovered. The Reds needed four batters to score four runs. The Mets took all nine innings. With the Braves' win over the Pirates, the Mets' National League East lead has dwindled to 1 1/2 games. That said, there's no shame to losing to the Reds with Aaron Harang on the mound. Dumping one......

Phillies 5, Mets 3: Mike Pelfrey's appearance as a last-minute replacement for Oliver Perez didn't come out as planned, costing the Mets their sweep of the rival Phillies. Carlos Delgado continued his revival by hitting another home run. On the negative side, Aaron Heilman allowed two runs in another shaky relief outing. The Mets lead the Phillies by five and the Braves by four in the National League East. A's 11, Yankees 5: Scott Proctor's......

Mets 7, Marlins 2: Reports of Carlos Delgado's demise have been greatly exaggerated. At least for now. He hit two home runs as the Mets romped past the Marlins and moved 3 1/2 games in front of the Braves in the National League East. Delgado's poor play -- he has fewer homers than Damion Easley, after all -- had been a source of concern for the Mets. But his two-homer game backed John Maine,......

Braves 2, Mets 1:John Smoltz got the better of his friend Tom Glavine and picked up his 200th win as the Mets lost the rubber game in Atlanta. Glavine didn't pitch poorly -- he gave up two runs in six innings -- but he didn't get any offensive support. Jose Reyes is 3 for his last 23, and without him to get things started, the Mets will struggle to score runs. This is the......

Yankees 8, Red Sox 3: A loss would have dropped the Yankees 11 1/2 games back. Although they wouldn't have admitted it, losing two of three to Boston would have forced some early wild-card thoughts. Instead, the Yankees are within 9 1/2 games and have some life. For the second time this season, Andy Pettitte outperformed Curt Schilling, but Wednesday's game ended up better for the Yankees than did the one April 22, when the......

Boston 7, Yankees 3: The Yankees meager two-game win streak against the two best teams in baseball ended last night as Mike Mussina was manhandled by Boston's lineup. Mike Mussina gave up 7 runs on 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings of pitching before being yanked by Torre and Guidry. That could have been overcome given the team's propensity to score, but the Yankees could only manage three runs off four hits against Julian......

Mets 10, Yankees 7: Nothing comes easy for the 2007 Yankees. For the second time this season, one of their starters left the game with an injury without getting an out. This time, Darrell Rasner got hit on the finger -- he later learned it was fractured -- and gave way to Mike Myers, who before morphing into a long reliever this situation made his living as a situational left-hander. The Yankees haven't had......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bank robbery at 59-23 Main St. in Queens, a partial collapse of a house being renovated in Wingate, Brooklyn, and a pedestrian was struck at Clove Rd. and Victory Blvd. on Staten Island. The idiot fan arrested at a Mets game the other week plead guilty to attempting to blind Braves players with a high-powered flashlight. His sentence: 15 days in jail and a three two-year ban from......

Red Sox 7, Yankees 6: This outcome shouldn't be all that surprising. Over the last two games of the series, the Yankees sent two Triple-A pitchers and a lineup without three regulars and still hung tough with the Red Sox, who sent two aces and their full lineups. Daisuke Matsuzaka didn't look all that great -- just like Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling before him -- but the Yankees have gotten nothing out of their......

Welcome to the dumb fan hall of fame, Frank Martinez! Martinez was arrested on Friday after he shined a high-powered flashlight onto Shea Stadium's field during the Mets-Braves game. Martinez used a Streamline flashlight to bother Braves pitcher Tim Hudson and shortstop Edgar Renteria, and second base umpire Paul Emmel had to call a timeout because he was "visually impaired." Martinez, an exterminator, was ejected from the game and a former neighbor told the......

Mets 7 Braves 2: Jose Reyes missed hitting for the cycle because he didn’t get a single, while Carlos Beltran missed because he didn’t hit a home run. No matter, because the Mets pounded the Braves behind the two of them. Beltran and Reyes went 7-for-10 with a home run and 3 RBI’s. Ramon Castro and Damion Easley both went deep and Oliver Perez struck out nine in six innings. Boston 7 Yankees 5: New......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a water main break on Rosedale Ave. in the Bronx, a shooting on 80th St. and 41st Ave. in Queens, and shots fired on Coney Island Ave. in Brooklyn. Several firefighters jumped into the Hudson yesterday afternoon to rescue a husband who was trying to save his wife, who had somehow fallen into the river. A man and a woman embarked from Hoboken this afternoon on the 70-foot boat......

Red Sox 7, Yankees 6: Alex Rodriguez had two home runs, the Yankees had a four-run lead and everything looked rosy. Then the Red Sox rallied for a five-run eighth and took Mariano Rivera to town. Joe Torre didn't help the cause with some questionable bullpen calls, though no one should have a problem with Rivera's pitching in the eighth inning. Torre might also want to consider not running for Jason Giambi for no reason.......