Francisco Alvarez belted two home runs, Marcus Semien hit the first for his new team and the New York Mets overcame the loss of Juan Soto to post a 10-3 victory over the host San Francisco Giants on Friday.
Nolan McLean (1-0) combined with four relievers on a five-hitter for the Mets, who snapped a three-game losing streak with their loudest offensive output since Opening Day.
Soto left the game due to right calf tightness after being forced out at home plate during New York’s two-run first inning. He had singled and gone first to third on a Bo Bichette hit before the routine out at the plate ended his night.
Bichette and Semien had RBI hits in the first off Giants starter Tyler Mahle (0-2), allowing McLean to pitch with a lead during his entire 5 1/3-inning stint.
McLean retired the first 15 batters he faced before walking Harrison Bader and Patrick Bailey consecutively to open the sixth, with the Mets leading 5-0. One out later, Willy Adames smacked a ground-rule double, scoring Bader and ending McLean’s night.
The Giants added a second run in the inning on a passed ball by Alvarez.
McLean was charged with both runs, only one of which was earned, and just one hit. He walked two and struck out four.
The homers by Alvarez, his second and third of the season, were solo shots in the fourth and seventh innings. Semien followed a Mark Vientos single with a two-run homer in the fourth.
Mahle was pulled after five innings, having allowed five runs and eight hits. He walked two and struck out four.
The Mets broke the game open against the San Francisco bullpen following Alvarez’s leadoff homer in the seventh. Luis Robert Jr. and Vientos singled home runs later in the inning.
New York tacked on a pair of runs in the ninth on an RBI double by Brett Baty and a run-scoring infield out off the bat of Carson Benge.
Semien and Bichette finished with three hits apiece, while Alvarez, Vientos and Francisco Lindor had two each in a 15-hit Mets attack. Semien totaled three RBIs, while Alvarez, Lindor and Bichette scored twice apiece.
The Giants completed their scoring in the eighth on an RBI single by Luis Arraez.
Heliot Ramos had two of the Giants’ five hits.
