Josh Donaldson delivered a tiebreaking pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the sixth inning on Tuesday night for the visiting New York Yankees, who came back to beat the New York Mets 7-6 in an eventful first meeting of the season between the Big Apple rivals.

The Yankees, who overcame a 5-1 deficit by scoring five times in the fourth against Max Scherzer, have alternated losses with wins in their last six games. The skidding Mets have lost nine of their last 10.

Mets reliever Drew Smith was ejected due to having a sticky substance on his hand before he threw a pitch in the seventh inning. Smith is subject to an automatic 10-game suspension. Scherzer served a 10-game suspension for the same reason from April 20 through May 2.

Giancarlo Stanton homered in the first for the Yankees before Brandon Nimmo answered with a leadoff blast in the bottom half of the frame for the Mets, who went ahead later in the inning on Brett Baty's two-out RBI single and extended the lead to 4-1 on Jeff McNeil's opposite-field, two-run single in the second.

Mark Canha collected an RBI with a fielder's choice in the third to make it 5-1 before the Yankees began rallying against Scherzer, who gave up one hit in the first three innings but surrendered six while recording just one out in the fourth. DJ LeMahieu hit a two-run homer before Anthony Volpe had an RBI double and Jake Bauers laced a go-ahead, two-run single.

Luis Guillorme chased Yankees starter Luis Severino with a two-out RBI single in the fifth before Donaldson, pinch-hitting for Bauers, lofted the sacrifice fly against Jeff Brigham.

Ron Marinaccio (3-3), the first of six Yankees relievers, earned the win after allowing a hit and a walk over an inning. Clay Holmes entered with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth and struck out Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte before Michael King earned his fourth save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Josh Walker (0-1), the Mets' second reliever, was charged with one run on two hits in one-third of an inning.

Severino allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits and three walks while striking out four over 4 2/3 innings. Scherzer gave up six runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out two over 3 1/3 innings.

--Field Level Media