NEW YORK — Yoenis Cespedes homered in his return from the disabled list, Noah Syndergaard won his second straight start since coming back from an injury but left after a drop in velocity, and the New York Mets beat the Yankees 7-5 Friday night in a Subway Series opener.

Robert Gsellman pitched two innings for his fifth save as Mets closer Jeurys Familia sat in the bullpen, a sign a trade could be forthcoming. Familia has been the subject of trade speculation.

Cespedes had been out since May 13 with a strained right hip flexor, the latest in a string of lower body injuries that have limited him to 119 games in 11/2 seasons since signing a $110 million, four-year contract.

He homered off an again ineffective Domingo German (2-6) to put the Mets ahead 4-0 in the third, sending a 3-0 pitch off the left-field foul pole. Cespedes is 8 for 10 with a pair of homers in his big league career on 3-0 counts. He also singled in the sixth – it would have driven in a run had Brandon Nimmo not been thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple.

German was optioned to the minors after the game. He’ll be replaced in the rotation by Luis Cessa.

MARLINS 6, RAYS 5: Derek Dietrich homered twice, including a three-run shot in the seventh inning that broke a tie, to lead Dan Straily and Miami over host Tampa Bay

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

BRAVES 8, NATIONALS 5: Stephen Strasburg was batted around by Atlanta, then engaged in a heated spat with Nationals ace Max Scherzer in the dugout during a home loss.

It was unclear what prompted the exchange between the star pitchers in their first game after the All-Star break.

The dispute occurred after Strasburg (6-7), activated from the 10-day disabled list earlier in the day and throwing on his 30th birthday, gave up six runs and eight hits in 42/3 innings. He walked into the dugout, got a pat on the back from Scherzer and sat down on the bench. They began barking at each other, then both quickly went off-camera by leaving the dugout.

The Braves lost All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies in the third inning, and the team said he was lifted as a precaution because of right hamstring tightness..

PHILLIES 11, PADRES 5: Carlos Santana homered and drove in four, Cesar Hernandez had a two-run double and Philadelphia overcame a four-run first-inning deficit to beat visiting San Diego.

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Odubel Herrera added two RBI for the Phillies, who remained a half-game ahead of Atlanta for first in the NL East with their 13th win in 19 games.

CARDS 18, CUBS 5: Matt Carpenter hit three home runs and two doubles in just six innings, tying the major league record for extra-base hits in a game, and St. Louis won at Chicago.

Carpenter went 5 for 5 and drove in seven runs at Wrigley Field. He led off the game with a home run and was pulled after adding a three-run drive in the sixth.

Carpenter became the 14th player with five extra-base hits in a game, and the first to do it for the Cardinals.

The NL Central-leading Cubs lost for just the fourth time in their last 17 games.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

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BLUE JAYS 8, ORIOLES 7: Aledmys Diaz singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning and Toronto recovered after blowing a three-run lead in the ninth to beat visiting Baltimore.

Diaz had four hits, including a solo homer, and scored twice as the Blue Jays improved to 7-1 against Baltimore.

Russell Martin hit a two-out single off left-hander Paul Fry (0-1) in the 10th and advanced to second when Randal Gruck walked. Diaz followed with a grounder that ticked off the glove of third baseman Renato Nunez and eluded shortstop Tim Beckham, allowing Martin to score.

John Axford (3-1) pitched one inning for the win.

Toronto led 7-4 through eight innings but Tyler Clippard couldn’t close the door in the ninth.


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