Juan Soto hit a two-run homer to cap a seven-run fourth inning and the New York Mets easily beat the Washington Nationals 8-0 on Tuesday night.
Bo Bichette also homered and drove in two runs, and Clay Holmes combined with two relievers to allow just three hits, while the injury-plagued Mets (10-19) won for the third time in 18 games, perhaps relieving some of the pressure on manager Carlos Mendoza.
Before the game, Mendoza commented that Soto had discomfort in his left forearm. The MRI showed no abnormalities, but the left fielder has been the designated hitter in all six games since returning last Wednesday from a right calf strain.
The home run was Soto’s second of the season and his first since the calf injury sidelined him for 15 games. In his second season on a record $765 million contract, the star hitter felt discomfort while pitching before games on Friday and Sunday.
Bichette hit a leadoff home run against Zack Littell (0-4) and added a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, New York’s biggest inning all year.
The Mets scored a total of four runs last weekend in their three-game sweep of Colorado at Citi Field. They started the day last in the majors in both runs scored and OPS.
New York got a one-out stroke of luck in the fourth inning when Marcus Semien’s bases-loaded drive to third base slipped under Jorbit Vivas’ glove, resulting in a two-base error, allowing MJ Melendez and Mark Vientos to score.
Carson Benge hit a two-run single to make the score 5-0.
Holmes (3-2) allowed three hits and struck out six in six innings, lowering his ERA to 1.75. Tobias Myers pitched two innings and Craig Kimbrel struck out all three batters in the ninth.
Littell allowed all eight runs, four of them earned, in 3 2/3 innings.
The Mets became the last team to play a division rival. New York’s first 28 games consisted of nine against the NL Central, 12 against the NL West, and six interleague contests.
