AROUND THE HORN
Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard encountered another hurdle in his recovery from Tommy John surgery Sunday when he was scratched from a rehab start because he tested positive for COVID-19. Mets manager Luis Rojas confirmed that Syndergaard has been vaccinated. Syndergaard — who turned 29 on Sunday — tweeted, “This birthday is so sick.” Syndergaard, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since Sept. 29, 2019, had the surgery just after the pandemic shutdown in March 2020. He began a rehab assignment this spring but left his second start with Low-A St. Lucie on May 26 with right elbow inflammation. Syndergaard, who’s scheduled to reach free agency after the season, didn’t pitch again until Thursday’s rehab outing, when he gave up one run in one inning. Afterward, he said he wasn’t throwing his slider or curveball because doctors believed the off-speed pitches bothered his elbow. The Mets are hoping Syndergaard could rejoin the team as a reliever. He had been expected to throw at least an inning Sunday for Singe-A Brooklyn . ... Francisco Lindor forced a balk and hit a two-run double, Javier Báez and Jonathan Villar homered and the Mets beat the visiting Nationals 9-4. The Mets took two of three and won a series for the first time since sweeping the Nats in a three-game set Aug. 10-12. Josh Bell hit two HRs for the Nats. Those were the only three hits for the Nats in the game. Tylor Megill (2-3) allowed two runs on one hit — a fourth-inning, two-run homer by Bell — and walked three with five strikeouts over five innings. Four Mets relievers threw an inning apiece to complete the three-hitter.
Phillies: Freddy Galvis drove in three runs and Rafael Marchand and Travis Jankowski hit backto-back RBI triples that sent the host Phillies over the Diamondbacks 7-4. Bryce Harper, Jean Segura and Marchand each had two hits for the Phillies, who have won three in a row and remained 4 ½ games behind NL East-leading Braves, who routed the NL Westleading Giants 9-0. Ranger Suarez (6-4) allowed only one run in 5 ⅓ innings for the Phillies. In six starts since leaving the closer’s role to solidify the back of the rotation, he’s 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA in 26 ⅔ innings.
Rays: Joey Wendle hit a pair of HRs, including a grand slam, and drove in six runs to lead the visiting Rays over the Orioles 12-8 for a three-game sweep. Austin Meadows and Jordan Luplow also homered for the Rays, who finished 18-1 against the Orioles this year. The AL East-leading Rays have beaten the Orioles 12 straight times, tying a franchise record they set against them in 2008. Rays rookie SS Wander Franco went 2-for-4 and has reached base in 29 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors.
White Sox: Luis Robert homered twice, Dylan Cease tied a career high with 11 strikeouts and the host White Sox pounded the Cubs 13-1. Eloy Jiménez, Yasmani Grandal and Brian Goodwin also connected for the AL Central-leading White Sox, who went 5-1 against the Cubs this year. Robert, Jiménez and Goodwin each drove in three runs. White Sox slugger José Abreu hit a two-run double in a seven-run fifth to get to 101 RBIs with 29 games left. The reigning AL MVP drove in a career-high 123 runs in 2019. Cease (11-6) allowed one run and four hits in six innings.