New York @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 30, 2013 ) NY Mets 3, NY Yankees 1

The 18th edition of the Subway Series begins Monday when the New York Yankees host the New York Mets in the first of four straight between the teams, two apiece at their respective home venues. Both enter the series after late-inning drama Sunday, but on very different notes. The Mets scored three times in the ninth and again in the 11th to steal a 5-4 win from Philadelphia while the Yankees dropped a 6-5 decision on a walk-off hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth at Milwaukee.

The Mets won all four meetings last season, their longest winning streak over any stretch of the series since it began. However, the Yankees are 8-3-6 in season series and 13-3 in home season series against the Mets. The opener of the four-game, two-borough set features the return to Yankee Stadium of outfielder Curtis Granderson, who played four seasons with the Yankees before signing a free-agent deal to cross town this offseason.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, PIX11 (Mets), YES (Yankees)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Bartolo Colon (2-5, 5.36 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Hiroki Kuroda (2-3, 4.43)

Colon has thrown seven innings while giving up three or fewer runs in four of his seven starts, including Tuesday against Miami when he was on the short end of a 3-0 loss. Colon's road ERA stands at 7.23 due to rocky outings at Colorado and the Los Angeles Angels and he has a 4.90 mark while pitching at the two Yankee Stadiums, much of that when he was with the Yankees in 2011. The 40-year-old has allowed 55 hits, but has walked only five in his 43 2/3 innings this year.

Kuroda hit his stride once the calendar turned to May after posting a 5.28 ERA in five April outings. He has let up four earned runs in 13 2/3 innings while striking out 15 and walking one this month, but remains without a win over his last four outings. Kuroda is 2-5 with a 4.14 ERA in nine career starts versus the Mets.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees SS Derek Jeter is 15-for-39 with two home runs against Colon.

2. Mets 3B David Wright needs two RBI to become the 20th active player with 900, five of whom are Yankees.

3. The Yankees have outscored the Mets 75-48 in 14 meetings at the current Yankee Stadium.

PREDICTION: Yankees 4, Mets 3