Mets outslug Cardinals 5-4

Juan Soto hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning and the New York Mets earned a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.

Soto’s shot off JoJo Romero (0-2) allowed the Mets to avoid being swept for the sixth time this season.

Soto’s 14th homer of the season was the sixth of the game.

Alec Burleson opened the scoring with a two-out blast in the first before the Mets responded with Bo Bichette’s two-run shot and Jared Young also went deep in the bottom half to give New York a 3-1 lead.

St. Louis answered with Lars Nootbaar’s solo shot and Jimmy Crooks’ two-run homer in the second to give the Cards a 4-3 lead on an afternoon in which the first-pitch temperature was 91 degrees.

The Cardinals’ Hunter Dobbins allowed three runs with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

The Cardinals continue a six-game road trip Friday, when RHP Kyle Leahy (5-3, 4.42 ERA) starts against the Twins and RHP Joe Ryan (4-3, 3.07 ERA).


(AP Photo Frank Franklin II)