Nolan McLean allowed just one unearned run over seven innings and Juan Soto had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, fueling the visiting New York Mets to a 9-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon.
Bo Bichette and Francisco Alvarez also had three hits apiece for the Mets, who avoided the sweep of the three-game set and finished their season series with Cincinnati with a 2-4 record. Bichette went 8-for-14 during the three-game series to raise his average to .254 on the season.
McLean (4-4) dominated Cincinnati batters all day, allowing just three hits, striking out nine and walking one. He exacted a measure of revenge versus the Reds after taking the loss to the club in New York on May 25.
Cincinnati’s only run came on the defensive play of the game. A.J. Ewing charged in from his center field spot and made a diving grab on a sinking liner off the bat of JJ Bleday with the bases loaded and one out in the third inning.
Jose Trevino, who reached on a dropped throw by Mark Vientos at first, scored on the play. But McLean retired the next batter to get out of the inning with a 3-1 advantage.
The Mets broke on top in the third with RBI singles from Soto, Marcus Simien and Vientos off Cincinnati starter Nick Lodolo (2-2). The Cincinnati left-hander was tagged for seven runs on 11 hits over just 4 2/3 innings.
New York blew the game open with four runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by Ewing’s two-run double. That game the Mets a 7-1 lead.
Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, rookie Sal Stewart and Nathaniel Lowe each doubled for the Reds, who were denied their first home sweep of the season and their first three-game sweep since April 17-19 at Minnesota.
