PHOENIX (AP) — Juan Soto homered in consecutive at-bats, Kodai Senga overcame early control problems to pitch six scoreless innings and the New York Mets beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-1 on Wednesday.
Soto hit a solo homer off Merrill Kelly (3-2) in the seventh inning and added another off Jalen Beeks in the eighth, his seventh of the season. Soto also followed Francisco Lindor’s two-run double in the ninth with a sacrifice fly to put New York up 7-1.
It was the 25th multihomer game of Soto’s career, tied with Mel Ott, Eddie Mathews and Alex Rodriguez for the second-most by a player before turning 27 years old — one behind Jimmie Foxx. Soto won’t be 27 until Oct. 25.
Senga (4-2) allowed two hits, struck out four and walked five — all in the first three innings — to lower his ERA to 1.16.
Arizona’s Corbin Carroll hit his 11th homer of the season, a solo shot in the eighth.
Kelly suffered his latest cramping bout in his last start, leaving after five innings against Philadelphia due to a hamstring cramp. The right-hander was right against the Mets — maybe it was all the pickles concerned fans have been sending him — until he left a pitch up in the zone to Soto in the sixth inning. The Mets’ slugger turned it into a towering homer to right-center.
Kelly gave up two more runs in the seventh, on Luisangel Acuña’s single and Jeff McNeill’s triple. Kelly allowed three runs and six hits with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
Key moment
Lindor made a perfect relay throw to get Eugenio Suárez at the plate on Alek Thomas’ double in the second inning.
Key stat
Mets first baseman Pete Alonso went 0 for 5, ending his streak of reaching base at 18 straight games.
Up next
The Mets have a day off before RHP Clay Holmes (4-1, 2.95 ERA) pitches the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. Arizona RHP Brandon Pfaadt (5-2, 3.79) pitches Thursday in the opener of a four-games series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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