Mets' Syndergaard Does It All In Blowout Win Over Toronto
NEW YORK (AP) -- Noah Syndergaard won for the first time in five weeks, knocking in two early runs against the team that traded him to rouse a sluggish New York Mets offense Tuesday night during a 12-2 rout of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Missing injured sluggers Yoenis Cespedes and Todd Frazier from a slumping lineup, the Mets finally broke through anyway against Jaime Garcia and the skidding Blue Jays after an 86-minute rain delay at the start.
Juan Lagares had four hits, three RBIs and a stolen base to help New York improve to 12-0 at home against Toronto -- the longest such streak in interleague history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
New catcher Devin Mesoraco homered and scored four runs while reaching base safely all five times up. Amed Rosario added three hits and two RBIs from the No. 9 spot in the batting order.
Making his first start in nine days because of a rainout last weekend, Syndergaard (3-1) threw 103 pitches over five innings but allowed only Yangervis Solarte's two-run single.
He laced an RBI double in the second and lofted a sacrifice fly in a five-run fourth, which included a single by Jose Reyes that loaded the bases for Syndergaard and snapped New York's 0-for-24 slide with runners in scoring position.
Toronto drafted Syndergaard 38th overall in 2010 and shipped him to New York in a package for reigning NL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey in December 2012. The right-hander made one previous start against the Blue Jays, striking out 11 over six innings of two-hit ball in a no-decision during his rookie season on June 15, 2015.
The Mets, who finished with 16 hits, won for only the third time in 12 games and stopped a six-game losing streak at home. They had scored three runs or fewer in nine of the past 11 games.
Garcia (2-3), who is 0-4 at Citi Field, was charged with six runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings as the Blue Jays (21-21) fell back to .500 for the first time since they were 2-2. Toronto has dropped three in a row and eight of 11.
WELCOME BACK
Curtis Granderson received a warm hand in his first game at Citi Field since the Mets traded him to the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers last August. The 37-year-old outfielder, who signed with Toronto in the offseason, hit 95 home runs for New York from 2014-17 -- plus three more in the 2015 World Series. He is tied for the team record with 21 leadoff homers. Granderson said his favorite memories with the Mets were winning the pennant in his hometown of Chicago -- and anytime popular teammate Bartolo Colon pitched at Citi Field. The Mets showed a tribute video just before the game and Granderson smiled as he pointed at the camera while getting loose on the field.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: SS Troy Tulowitzki (right heel) began running on an anti-gravity treadmill. He is taking grounders hit at him and will progress to live batting practice this week before a follow-up appointment with his surgeon next week. ... SS Aledmys Diaz (sprained right ankle) is hitting and running on the anti-gravity treadmill at the team's complex in Florida. RHP Marcus Stroman (right shoulder fatigue) will report there on Thursday. ... OF-1B Steve Pearce (strained left oblique) reported improvement but isn't ready to begin baseball activities. ... OF Randal Grichuk (sprained right knee) is running and going through outfield drills.
Mets: Cespedes sat out after an MRI revealed a mild right hip flexor strain. GM Sandy Alderson said the team will decide in the next couple of days whether to put the All-Star outfielder on the 10-day disabled list. Cespedes has been dealing with the nagging injury for more than a week, though he's described it as discomfort in his quadriceps. ... Frazier (strained left hamstring) is eligible to come off the 10-day DL on Friday. ... RHP Anthony Swarzak (strained left oblique), RHP Hansel Robles (sprained right knee), C Kevin Plawecki (broken left hand) and INF T.J. Rivera (Tommy John surgery) are rehabbing in Florida.
ROSTER MOVE
Toronto recalled outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. from Triple-A Buffalo. He replaced outfielder Anthony Alford, optioned to Buffalo after Sunday's game.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays lefty J.A. Happ (4-3, 4.80 ERA) faces RHP Zack Wheeler (2-2, 5.03) on Wednesday afternoon.
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