Bichette has 3 hits, McLean strikes out 9 as Mets beat Reds 9-1 to avoid series sweep

CINCINNATI (AP) — Bo Bichette continued his hot streak with three hits, rookie Nolan McLean struck out nine in seven innings and the New York Mets averted being swept with a 9-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.

Francisco Alvarez and Juan Soto also had three hits apiece. New York had 15 hits, which is tied for its second-highest output of the season.

Bichette has multiple hits in six straight games and went 8 for 14 in the three-game series. The third baseman is also batting .539 (14 for 26) over his last six games with two homers and eight RBIs.

McLean (4-4) allowed one unearned run and three hits as he went seven innings for the third time in 15 starts.

It was Carlos Mendoza’s 205th victory as Mets’ manager. The third-year skipper passed Jerry Manuel and moved into ninth place on the franchise’s wins list.

JJ Bleday drove in Cincinnati's only run on a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the third inning to score Jose Trevino. The Reds went 3-3 on their six-game homestand.

Cincinnati went 4-2 against the Mets for the second straight season.

The Mets jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning on two-out RBI base hits by Soto, Marcus Semien and Mark Vientos off Cincinnati starter Nick Lodolo (2-2). They broke it open with four in the fifth, including a two-run double by A.J. Ewing to make it 7-1.

Lodolo allowed seven runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings. It is the fourth time in 83 big-league starts he has given up at least seven earned runs.

Mets: LHP Sean Manaea (1-2, 4.78 ERA) goes on Thursday at Philadelphia.

Reds: RHP Rhett Lowder (3-3, 4.60 ERA) takes the mound in New York on Friday against the Yankees.

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