WASHINGTON: Yoenis Cespedes hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning moments after pinch-hitter Kelly Johnson connected for a game-leveling shot as the New York Mets rallied past the Washington Nationals 5-3 Wednesday for a pivotal three-game sweep.

Jacob deGrom (13-7) pitched seven strong innings in a tight duel with Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg, who struck out a season-high 13.

Johnson’s leadoff drive against Strasburg (8-7) tied it 2-all before Cespedes teed off for a two-run shot against struggling Drew Storen, sending the Mets to their third consecutive comeback victory in the series.

The sweep extended New York’s lead in the NL East to seven games over Washington with 23 to play. The Mets have won six straight against the Nationals, including a three-game sweep at Citi Field from July 31 to Aug. 2.

Bryce Harper homered twice, doubled and scored three times for Washington, but it wasn’t enough.

Travis d’Arnaud also homered for the Mets. Jeurys Familia closed for his 39th save.

St. Louis slugger Matt Carpenter tripled and scored twice, and Stephen Piscotty doubled in the decisive run as the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 to end a three-game skid.

The NL Central leaders scored three times in the eighth inning to avoid their first sweep at home this season and their first against the Cubs since September 2010.

In Boston, David Ortiz hit a three-run shot for his 498th home run as the Red Sox beat the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays 10-4.

Joe Kelly (10-6) won his eighth consecutive start, the longest stretch by a Red Sox pitcher since Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez won nine straight in 1999.

Mookie Betts had a solo homer and drove in three runs, and Ryan Hanigan had three hits and three RBIs for the Red Sox.

The Baltimore Orioles defeated the New York Yankees 5-3 after CC Sabathia’s strong start in his return from the disabled list was undone by Stephen Drew’s fielding misplays at second base.

Steve Pearce hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning for the Orioles off Adam Warren (6-6).

Reds star Joey Votto went berserk after a called strike and got ejected, with teammates and even an umpire needing to hold him back in Cincinnati’s 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Kang Jung-ho hit Pittsburgh’s first grand slam of the season, a tiebreaking shot in the sixth inning. The Pirates hold the top spot in the NL wild-card race.

Atlanta pitcher Julio Teheran threw seven impressive innings and Christian Bethancourt hit a go-ahead homer as the Braves trounced the Philadelphia Phillies 8-1, while Jake Odorizzi pitched six strong innings as the Tampa Bay Rays hit four homers in an 8-0 shutout of the Detroit Tigers.

In other games, the Miami Marlins beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2, the Cleveland Indians overcame the Chicago White Sox 6-4, the Houston Astros trounced the Oakland Athletics 11-5 and the Seattle Mariners blanked the Texas Rangers 6-0.

The Los Angeles Angels edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2, the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals over 12 innings, the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 and the San Diego Padres were 11-4 winners over the Colorado Rockies.