NEW YORK — The Mets didn't wait until the last play of the game to be done in by their defense against the Yankees.

Three errors by Mets infielders led to a four-run second inning, Alex Rodriguez added his 564th home run to pass Reggie Jackson on the career list and CC Sabathia pitched the Yankees to a 9-1 win Friday night in the first Subway Series game at Citi Field.

Fill-in leadoff batter Brett Gardner had a career-high five hits, including his third home run of the season and a triple. Rodriguez made it 7-1 with a two-run, opposite-field drive in the eighth off reliever Elmer Dessens, into the right-center field bullpens for his 11th homer this season.

Actress Kate Hudson, who has attended some of A-Rod's recent games, was looking on from the stands as he moved into sole possession of 11th place on the career list. Before homering at Atlanta's Turner Field on Thursday night, Rodriguez hadn't hit one on the road since his first swing of the season, on May 8 at Baltimore.

The Mets drew their second straight sellout, a Citi Field record crowd of 41,278. After selling out the opener, the Mets fell short for 34 consecutive games before a discount-assisted full house Thursday afternoon against St. Louis.

Fans got to see some abysmal defense, with third baseman David Wright, shortstop Alex Cora and first baseman Nick Evans contributing to the Mets' first three-error inning in five years.

Sabathia (7-4) was the beneficiary. He left Sunday's start at Florida after 1 1-3 innings because of tightness in his left biceps, a problem he said wasn't major.

His arm appeared to be fine Friday, with the stadium radar clocking him at up to 98 mph, and he started 18 of 24 batters with strikes. Sabathia allowed the Mets' only three hits, in seven innings, struck out eight and walked one.

Mike Pelfrey (5-3) dropped to 1-3 in his last nine starts, allowing four runs — two earned — and six hits in five innings. Gary Sheffield homered in the fifth for the Mets, who remained one-half game behind NL East-leading Philadelphia.

Exactly two weeks earlier in the first Subway Series at new Yankee Stadium, second baseman Luis Castillo dropped what would have been a game-ending popup by Rodriguez, allowing two runs to score and giving the Yankees a shocking 9-8 win.

This time, Castillo fielded flawlessly. Fans applauded loudly when, with the bases loaded in the seventh, he caught consecutive popups by Francisco Cervelli and Pena.

After a 52-minute rain delay, for four innings it appeared Sabathia might achieve in Citi Field's 37th game what Philadelphia's Jim Bunning accomplished in Shea Stadium's 31st, back in 1964: A perfect game.

Although he went to three-ball counts four times, Sabathia retired his first 12 batters. The 40-year-old Sheffield, who missed the four-game series against St. Louis, was back in the lineup following a cortisone shot to relieve inflammation and a fluid buildup in his right knee. He drove a 1-1 breaking ball into the left-field seats for his ninth homer this season and No. 508 of his career. Two weeks ago, he was 6-for-13 against his former team with a pair of homers at Yankee Stadium.

The Mets put two on with one out, but Sabathia struck out Omir Santos and pinch-hitter Argenis Reyes.

Melky Cabrera had led off the second with a slow bouncer to third that Wright barehanded and threw past first, allowing Cabrera to wind up at second. One out later, Ramiro Pena hit opposite-field double to left, driving in the first run. Sabathia, who hadn't hit in a game since last Sept. 28, singled up the middle on the next pitch for his 14th career RBI.

There were chants of "Let's go Yankees" as Gardner blooped a single down the left-field line, with Sabathia huffing and puffing his way to second. Johnny Damon then hit a sharp grounder to Cora that should have been an inning-ending double play. But the shortstop threw the ball into right field, allowing Sabathia to score.

Mark Teixeria grounded to first, and Evans fumbled the ball with both his glove and bare hand, knocking it into foul territory as Gardner scored for a 4-0 lead. A walk to Rodriguez loaded the bases, and fans applauded when Robinson Cano hit a soft liner to Castillo for the second out. Cabrera's grounder to second ended the inning.