Braves starter Ian Anderson achieved an unprecedented feat in his team’s 1-0 victory over the Mets on Monday night.
Anderson, 23, became the first native New Yorker to defeat the Mets and Yankees in New York during the same season. He defeated the Yankees in the Bronx on April 21, and with his 5-2/3 scoreless innings Monday, he topped the Mets in Queens.
“That’s pretty cool,” Anderson said. “It’s always nice coming up here. I usually have some family in the stands, and I get a ton of support up here.” Anderson estimated he had 12 or 13 people, including his parents, youngest brother and family friends, at Citi Field on Monday.
The last native New Yorkers to defeat two New York teams in New York were Philadelphia’s Jim Konstanty and Chicago’s Turk Lown in 1953. Both pitchers defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. The last starting pitcher to achieve such was the Braves’ Bob Chipman, who beat the Dodgers and Giants in 1950.
Anderson is from Clifton Park, N.Y., which is about 25 minutes north of Albany. He attended Shenendehowa High School, where he and the Hawks’ Kevin Huerter were friends and classmates. The Braves selected Anderson third overall in the 2016 draft and he made his MLB debut last season.
About the Author
