NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor led off with the first of New York’s four solo homers and the Mets rolled to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.
Brett Baty and Jeff McNeil went deep in the second while Juan Soto homered in the fourth to help the Mets improve to 14-3 at Citi Field. Soto added an RBI single in the eighth.
Every starter had at least one hit for the Mets, who scored twice in the third when Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez came home after Dansby Swanson overthrew first base trying to double up the speedy Luisangel Acuña.
Clay Holmes (5-1), pitching the same night the first 15,000 fans received Holmes hockey jerseys, allowed three hits in six solid innings as he lowered his ERA to 2.74 over eight starts.
Kyle Tucker’s homer leading off the fourth was the first round-tripper surrendered this season by Holmes. The last Mets newcomer to go longer without allowing a homer was Orel Hershiser, who didn’t give up a homer in his first eight starts in 1999.
Michael Busch homered in the ninth.
Jameson Taillon (2-1) gave up six runs (five earned) on nine hits while throwing a season-high 100 pitches in a season-low four innings.
Key moment
Lindor hit Taillon’s third pitch into the Mets’ bullpen in right for his fourth leadoff homer in 38 games this year. He’s just three homers shy of tying Curtis Granderson’s single-season franchise record, set over 144 starts in 2015 and tied over 139 starts in 2016.
Key stat
The four homers allowed by Taillon were a career high and the most allowed by a Cubs pitcher since Jordan Wicks gave up four homers last Sept. 11.
Up next
RHP Cade Horton is expected to make his big league debut for the Cubs Saturday night. The Mets will counter with RHP Tylor Megill (3-2, 2.50 ERA).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Jerry Beach, The Associated Press
