Near-perfect 'pen effort seals Yanks' Subway Series win

NEW YORK -- Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi admitted he was surprised to see manager Joe Girardi emerge from the dugout to take him out of the game with one out during the fifth inning of Sunday's 6-4 victory against the Mets. Eovaldi had thrown only 87 pitches and seemed to be settling into the game after an erratic start, retiring the five batters prior to an infield single by Juan Lagares that summoned Girardi.

The Mets were held hitless the rest of the game.

"I was surprised when it happened," Eovaldi said about coming out of the game. "But I understood the situation. Our bullpen has been amazing."

It continued to be on Sunday, when five relievers -- Chasen Shreve, Chris Martin, Justin Wilson, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller -- combined to throw 4 2/3 scoreless innings without allowing a hit. The only baserunners reached as a result of a walk and a pair of hit batters.

Yankees relievers now own a collective 1.86 ERA on the season.

"We just try to match each other's intensity," Betances said. "We go out there trying to match each other up. We feed off each other's energy, going out there throwing zeros, trying to hold the lead and trying to win ballgames."

Shreve tossed two-thirds of an inning to collect his first big league win. Martin and Wilson combined to get through the next two innings unscathed.

Then the Yankees were able to turn the game over to the combination of Betances and Miller, who have been nearly unhittable to start the season. Girardi did not officially name either as the team's closer before the year began, but they appear to have settled into their roles.

Betances, who struggled with his control a bit early in the season, seems to be rounding into his 2014 form as the team's setup man. He struck out the first three batters in the eighth, and though Michael Cuddyer reached on a wild pitch, Betances proceeded to induce Daniel Murphy to ground out.

The proverbial baton was then passed to Miller, who pitched a scoreless ninth to clinch his seventh save in as many chances.

Miller and Betances have combined to throw 18 2/3 innings this season and have yet to allow an earned run, with 31 strikeouts.

"Certainly I think there is some kind of synergy between us," Miller said. "We can hand the ball off to the next guy ... and seal the deal."