Juan Soto ends home run drought and Mets hand Rockies another series loss with 8-2 win

NEW YORK (AP) - Juan Soto hit his first homer in more than three weeks and the New York Mets sent the Colorado Rockies to another series loss with an 8-2 win on Saturday.

The Rockies, whose 9-49 record is the worst in the modern era through 58 games, are the first team in history to open a season with 19 straight series losses. Colorado has lost a major league-record 22 straight series dating back to last September.

Brett Baty had a bases-clearing triple off Antonio Senzatela (1-10) in a four-run first inning, which Tyrone Taylor capped with a single. Brandon Nimmo and Soto homered on consecutive pitches in the fourth.

Soto was serenaded with chants of "JUAN SO-TO" from fans in the right field seats in the top of the fifth, when he turned and raised his arms in acknowledgment.

Jeff McNeil homered in the eighth.

Kodai Senga (6-3) allowed two runs on two hits over 6 2/3 innings. He retired a career-high 17 straight batters between Ezequiel Tovar's one-out homer in the first and Tovar's walk leading off the seventh.

Thairo Estrada chased Senga with an RBI single.

Senzatela, the first pitcher to reach 10 losses this season, allowed seven runs in four innings.

Soto's 404-foot blast was his first homer since May 9. The $765 million outfielder entered Saturday hitting just .143 with two extra-base hits in his previous 17 games.

The Rockies haven't led at the completion of an inning since the first inning last Sunday, when they were ahead of the New York Yankees 2-1.

The series ends Sunday with Mets RHP Clay Holmes (5-3, 2.98 ERA) opposing Rockies LHP Carson Palmquist (0-3, 8.78 ERA).