Soto scores tiebreaking run in 8th as Mets prevent sweep by Reds

NEW YORK (AP) – Juan Soto dashed home with the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, beating a throw to the plate on Luis Torrens’ sharp grounder to second base, and the New York Mets avoided a three-game sweep Sunday with a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

Soto led off the inning by drawing a walk from Brent Suter (1-1) and went to third on Jeff McNeil’s one-out double. With the infield playing in, Tony Santillan got Torrens to hit a hard grounder to second baseman Matt McLain, but Soto got an excellent jump and scored with a headfirst slide as the one-hop throw arrived.

Ryne Stanek earned his second save with a scoreless ninth.

Edwin Díaz (5-0) blew a save opportunity for the second time this season when he plunked Spencer Steer with a pitch to force home the tying run in the eighth. Díaz then struck out Tyler Stephenson to leave the bases loaded.

Brandon Nimmo had an RBI single in the third and No. 9 hitter Luisangel Acuña gave the Mets a 2-1 lead with a run-scoring double in the fifth.

Elly De La Cruz hit an RBI single in the first for the Reds.

Mets left-hander David Peterson allowed an unearned run in six innings. Fellow All-Star Andrew Abbott gave up two runs in six innings for Cincinnati.

It was Torrens’ first RBI in a Mets victory since he had two in an 8-1 win over Colorado on June 7.

The bottom four Mets batters went 4 for 13 with two RBIs. … Reds center fielder TJ Friedl was plunked four times in the series and has been hit by a pitch six times in his last five games. He was hit by a pitch just five times in his first 91 games.

The Mets continue a six-game homestand Monday night, when RHP Kodai Senga (7-3, 1.39 ERA) starts against Los Angeles Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (2-6, 4.34).

The Reds head to Washington, where RHP Brady Singer (7-7, 4.32 ERA) opposes Nationals RHP Jake Irvin (7-5, 4.58).