New York Mets vs New York Yankees Box Score on Jul 20, 2018

Yoenis Cespedes homered and reached base three times as the New York Mets held on for a 7-5 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

Cespedes was activated from the disabled list before the game after missing over two months with a right hip flexor strain. He started at designated hitter and batted second.

In his first plate appearance since May 13 at Philadelphia, Cespedes flew out to left field in the first. The Mets would go on to score three runs in the inning off Domingo German, as Asdrubal Cabrera, Michael Conforto and Jose Bautista each hit RBI doubles.

Cespedes hit German's 3-0 fastball off the middle of the left field pole in the third for his ninth homer of the season.

Cespedes drew a leadoff walk in the fifth, and the Mets added two more runs on RBI singles by Conforto and Devin Mesoraco off Adam Warren. Conforto finished with three RBIs by adding a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

German (2-6) gave up four runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. The Yankees optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following the loss.

Noah Syndergaard (6-1) lasted five innings in his second start back from the disabled list. He held the Yankees to one run on eight hits, but his velocity appeared to dip in the last two innings.

During the fifth, manager Mickey Callaway and a trainer visited the right-hander on the mound but kept him in the game. Following a discussion with pitching coach Dave Eiland and Callaway, Syndergaard finished the innings before exiting the game.

Then things became treacherous for the Mets, who held the Yankees to a third-inning sacrifice fly by Giancarlo Stanton before wobbling to the finish.

Seth Lugo allowed a two-run double to Neil Walker in the sixth, two batters after Greg Bird's single dropped in between center fielder Matt den Dekker and shortstop Amed Rosario. After getting out of the sixth, Lugo loaded the bases in the seventh by walking Bird but retired Miguel Andujar on a popup.

In the eighth, Robert Gsellman allowed an RBI double to Didi Gregorius two batters after Rosario misplayed Brett Gardner's grounder for an error. Gsellman traded a run for an out by allowing a run-scoring groundout to Stanton and struck out Gary Sanchez following an intentional walk to Aaron Hicks.

Gsellman also pitched the ninth but got through it and notched his fifth save by retiring Gardner.

Regular Mets closer Jeurys Familia, the subject of trade rumors, did not even warm up. As Gsellman was securing the win, reports surfaced Familia was on the verge of getting dealt.

Being unable to get the big hit plagued the Yankees all night as they fell 5 1/2 games back of the Boston Red Sox. Despite getting 14 hits, the Yankees stranded 14 and were 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

--Field Level Media