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Cespedes, Mets grab division lead after shellacking Marlins

Steve Mitchell / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

The New York Mets added Yoenis Cespedes ahead of last week's trade deadline to bolster their uninspired offense, acquiring the 29-year-old - likely for just two months - to pry the division lead away from the Washington Nationals.

On Monday night, after a pair of uninspired games with the Mets, the talented Cuban delivered.

Cespedes set a new career high with three doubles - two of which came within inches of going over the fence - in Monday's series opener against the Miami Marlins. He finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs as part of a 15-hit onslaught by the Mets, who cruised to a 12-1 victory at Marlins Park.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

Not only is Cespedes the first Mets player since 2012 to record three doubles in a game, but his efforts also thrust New York to a third straight victory, improving its record to 55-50. Several states over, meanwhile, the Nationals dropped their fourth consecutive contest, a 6-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. That bumped Washington's record to 54-50 and allowed the Mets to claim sole possession of first place in the National League East.

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