Just before Juan Soto could play the villain, Francisco Lindor did it for him.
With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the ninth — and Soto looming on deck — Lindor hit a fly ball just deep enough for a sacrifice fly that scored Luisangel Acuña to lift the Mets to a tense 3-2 win over the Yankees on Saturday afternoon in The Bronx.
Edwin Díaz then retired pinch-hitter Austin Wells, Ben Rice and Aaron Judge in the bottom of the ninth to seal it.
Judge worked a full-count with the sellout crowd of 47,510 on its feet, but Díaz got him to chase an elevated 99 mph fastball to finish the day 0-for-5 — only the third time this season he did not reach base.
Fernando Cruz got himself into trouble in the top of the ninth by walking Luis Torrens with one out, with Acuña pinch-running for the catcher at first base.
Brett Baty then hit a ground ball to the left of DJ LeMahieu, who made a diving stop on it but could not get a handle on the ball to get off a throw.
Cruz then hit No. 9 hitter Tyrone Taylor with an errant sinker to load the bases for Lindor.
The late drama set up a rubber game showdown on Sunday night between Max Fried and David Peterson.