Juan Soto homers in Mets fourth-inning outburst as they shutout Nationals
NEW YORK — The entire New York Mets lineup has been marred in an uncharacteristic slump, but in the bottom of the fourth inning on Tuesday night at Citi Field, Juan Soto uncorked a very characteristic home run. A two-run shot, just his second of the year, scored the sixth and seventh runs of the inning for the Mets, practically a week’s worth of offense the way this team has been playing. Finally, they gave Clay Holmes some run support in an 8-0 win over the Washington Nationals.
For one night, the Mets looked like the team they’re supposed to be by backing up a quality start with meaningful run support. Holmes (3-2) blanked the Nats over six innings, allowing only three singles and one walk, while striking out six. It’s the type of start the Mets have come to expect from their steady right-hander this season, but you wouldn’t know it by his record.
The same goes for right-hander Nolan McLean. An offense built on length has been ravaged by injuries and some sort of affliction that has the Mets regularly hitting the ball into the ground instead of in the air. But the ground-ball flu seemed to subside Tuesday night.
Bo Bichette led off the bottom of the first with a home run against right-hander Zack Littell, and the Mets chased him from the game in the fourth inning. Littell loaded the bases with one out in the fourth. Marcus Semien hit a chopper down the left side, which Jorbit Vivas stabbed at wildly while missing it badly.
Two runs scored, and Semien ended up at second. Carson Benge and Ronny Mauricio then hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners, and a fly ball to right field by Bichette scored Benge. Then came Soto, the prodigious home run hitter who hadn’t hit one in 27 days.