NEW YORK — The Subway Series is getting awfully testy.

Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez shouted at Yankees reliever Brian Bruney during batting practice Sunday and the two were separated by teammates. That came one day after Bruney called Rodriguez's exuberant celebrations on the mound a "tired act," and K-Rod said the injured right-hander "better keep his mouth shut."

In video footage on YES Network, an angry Rodriguez could be seen pointing at Bruney from a few feet away before Yankees reliever Jose Veras stepped between them in left field.

Bruney held his ground and appeared to say little, if anything. Mets pitcher Mike Pelfrey got in front of Rodriguez and escorted him away.

Bruney has pitched only once for New York since April 21 because of a strained elbow. He tossed a perfect inning Saturday in a rehab appearance for Double-A Trenton.

Afterward, he was asked about the Yankees' wild win over the Mets on Friday night, when second baseman Luis Castillo dropped Alex Rodriguez's two-out popup in the ninth inning. The error allowed two runs to score, giving the Yankees a 9-8 victory and handing K-Rod his first blown save in 17 chances this season.

"Unbelievable. I've never seen anything like that. I have, but in high school," Bruney told reporters in Trenton, N.J. "It couldn't happen to a better guy on the mound, either. He's got a tired act."

After converting a save, Francisco Rodriguez often pounds his chest and points to the sky while letting out a roar.

"I just don't like watching the guy pitch," Bruney said. "I think it's embarrassing."

Bruney's teammate, Joba Chamberlain, also has irritated opponents with his loud screams and animated fist pumps after inning-ending strikeouts. Baltimore slugger Aubrey Huff even mocked Chamberlain this season with a pair of emphatic fist pumps after hitting a home run off the right-hander.

Francisco Rodriguez, who set a major league record with 62 saves last year for the Los Angeles Angels, didn't take kindly to Bruney's comments.

"He better keep his mouth shut and do his job and not worry about somebody else," he said after closing out the Mets' 6-2 win Saturday. "If it came out from somebody big, I might pay attention to it. But somebody like that, it doesn't bother me."

Bruney is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 appearances this season. He has 13 strikeouts and two walks in nine innings.

"I'm not going to get into a media war with K-Rod. He's had a great career. He set the save record and besides, he doesn't know who I am. So it doesn't matter what I think," Bruney said in the Yankees' clubhouse after Saturday's loss.

"I stand by what I said. I don't know that it makes any difference, since the guy's never heard of me."