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Major leagues: 19-year-old Soto, Harper homer in Nationals’ win
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Juan Soto, the youngest player in the majors at 19, hit a three-run homer in his first career start as the Washington Nationals defeated the San Diego Padres 10-2 on Monday.
Mark Reynolds had two solo home runs for the Nationals, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Bryce Harper had a homer and an RBI double.
Soto’s drive highlighted a five-run second inning for Washington. The promising outfielder, who played for three minor league teams this season, hit the first pitch from Robbie Erlin (1-3) over the Nationals bullpen in left-center field. Soto also singled.
Soto’s homer traveled an estimated 442 feet at Nationals Park. He earned a standing ovation from the crowd and the teenager responded by taking a curtain call. Per Baseball-Reference.com, Soto became the first teenager to hit a home run in a major league game since Harper on Sept. 30, 2012.
Called up to Washington on Sunday, Soto became the first 19-year-old to make his major league debut since Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias in 2016. He entered that game in the eighth inning as a pinch-hitter and struck out.
Philadelphia 3, Atlanta 0: Nick Pivetta struck out seven over seven innings, and Nick Williams and Aaron Altherr each homered to lead the Phillies to a 3-0 win over the Atlanta Braves.
The Phillies took the opener of the three-game series and moved a half game behind Atlanta for first place in the NL East.
Philadelphia hasn’t had a winning record since it made the last of five straight postseason berths in 2011. The Phillies lost 96 games in 2017 – the third straight season of more than 90 losses.
N.Y. Mets 2, Miami 0: Jason Vargas returned to the rotation with five excellent innings, AJ Ramos pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 2-0.
The Mets got their fourth straight win, following up a three-game sweep of NL West-leading Arizona. New York is 6-2 in its past eight games, 5-1 on this homestand and 24-19 overall.
The 35-year-old Vargas (1-3) had his previous turn skipped after three sloppy outings to open the season, but he shut down Miami with changeups and guile for his first victory with the Mets. Ten of his outs came via the change, and he struck out seven without reaching 90 mph even once with his fastball. He allowed two hits and a walk before leaving after 86 pitches.
Milwaukee 4, Arizona 2: Travis Shaw, Domingo Santana and Lorenzo Cain each hit home runs off Zack Greinke, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2.
Arizona has lost five in a row and 11 of 12, scoring just 24 runs in that span.
Greinke (3-3) struck out nine, walked none and gave up five hits in six innings, but the home runs did him in.
Shaw hit a two-run homer in the first, Santana sliced an opposite-field solo shot in the fourth and Cain homered leading off the sixth. Greinke hadn’t allowed more than two home runs in a game this season.