Mets hit 3 homers in 5 pitches, sweep Nationals

NEW YORK -- Curtis Granderson, Daniel Murphy and streaking Lucas Duda homered in a span of five pitches, a sudden power strike that charged up Citi Field and sent the New York Mets past the Washington Nationals 5-2 Sunday night for a three-game sweep.

Noah Syndergaard (6-5) struck out nine over eight innings, and New York pulled within percentage points of the first-place Nationals in the NL East. Boosted by a trio of lively crowds, the Mets completed their first three-game sweep of Washington since May 2009 and boldly pronounced themselves legitimate playoff contenders.

It was a serious statement from the Mets, now 7-6 against the Nationals this season after going 4-15 versus their division rivals last year. New York finished a wildly eventful 6-4 homestand that featured one trade that fell through, the additions of four new players -- including slugger Yoenis Cespedes -- and a 162-game drug suspension for reliever Jenrry Mejia.

Coming into the series, the Nationals had won 18 of their last 21 at Citi Field. The teams meet six more times this year, Sept. 7-9 at Washington and Oct. 2-4 in New York during the final series of the regular season.

Anthony Rendon hit his first homer of the season, and Yunel Escobar also went deep for Washington.

Mets nemesis Jordan Zimmermann (8-7) issued a leadoff walk in the third. Two outs later, Granderson launched a 2-2 curve into the front row of the second deck in right field for his 17th home run.

Murphy hit the next pitch almost halfway up those bleachers, a little to the right of Granderson's drive. Cespedes then singled for his first hit with the Mets, and by the time Duda hit the facing of the second deck with his 21st homer of the season, the chanting crowd of 35,374 was in a full-out frenzy.

It was Duda's ninth home run in his last eight games since July 25. He homered twice Saturday night and hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning of a 3-2 win.

It was the first time the Mets, the lowest-scoring team in the majors this season, hit three long balls in one inning since June 7, 2007, when Carlos Delgado, David Wright and Paul Lo Duca connected off Philadelphia lefty Cole Hamels.

And after seeing his old team raise the home run apple in center field three times in just a couple of minutes, former Mets slugger Mike Piazza tweeted: "Awesome to watch (hashtag)CitiField Rock!"

Syndergaard, who carried a perfect game through six innings during his previous start against the Padres, walked none and scattered seven hits. He fanned slugger Bryce Harper with his 109th and final pitch, a 99 mph fastball.

Tyler Clippard, who spent seven years with the Nationals, got three outs for his first save with the Mets. He had 17 for Oakland this season before coming over in a trade last Monday.

Blue Jays 5, Twins 1

TORONTO -- David Price struck out 11 over eight innings to win his Blue Jays debut, Josh Donaldson hit a tiebreaking home run and Toronto beat the Minnesota Twins 5-1 in the opener of a four-game series between AL wild-card contenders.

Price (10-4) allowed one run and three hits. He threw 119 pitches, two shy of his season high.

Acquired from Detroit last Thursday for a trio of minor league left-handers, Price received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 45,766 as he walked in from the bullpen before the game.

NBA All-Star Kevin Durant was among those on hand to watch Price work on a sunny afternoon.

The lefty struck out the first two batters he faced and set down four straight before Torii Hunter homered in the second. It was the 12th home run surrendered by Price in 10 career starts at Rogers Centre.

Sports on 08/04/2015

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