NEW YORK — Nick Lodolo won for the first time in four starts since returning from a blister, JJ Bleday and Tyler Stephenson homered off an ineffective Nolan McLean, and the Cincinnati Reds extended the New York Mets’ losing streak to four with a 7-2 victory Monday.
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Mets star Juan Soto missed his second straight game because of illness and fellow outfielder Tyrone Taylor left with right hip pain after grounding out in the sixth inning. Taylor will undergo an MRI and is probably headed to the injured list, manager Carlos Mendoza said.
The lineup already was without injured regulars Francisco Lindor, Francisco Alvarez, Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco.
New York has scored four runs and struck out 41 times during its latest skid, dropping to 22-32 at the one-third mark — one shy of its season low of 11 games under .500 at 10-21. A big league-best 45-24 at the start of play on June 13 last year, the Mets are 60-87 since.
Spencer Steer had three RBIs for Cincinnati, which beat out the Mets for a playoff spot on the last day of the 2025 season. The Reds started this year 20-11 but are just 8-14 since.
Lodolo (1-1) allowed one run and six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks, lowering his ERA from 7.20 to 5.57. He was sidelined from spring training until May 8 by a blister on his left index finger.
McLean (2-4) was charged with seven runs, five hits, two walks, two hit batters and one wild pitch in 3 1/3 innings, the shortest of his 19 big league starts. He has given up 13 earned runs in his last two outings, raising his ERA from 2.92 to 4.40.
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Cincinnati went ahead 2-0 in the second when Steer drove in a run with forceout and McLean bounced a run-scoring wild pitch.
Bleday homered in the third and McLean gave up Steer’s two-run single and Stephenson’s two-run homer as the Reds took a 7-0 lead in the fourth.
Marcus Semien, hitting cleanup for the first time this year, homered leading off the sixth for the Mets.
Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz had his 11th four-strikeout game, his first this year.
Reds RHP Chase Burns (6-1, 1.83 ERA) starts Tuesday night. LHP David Peterson (3-4, 5.03) is expected to pitch for the Mets, either as the starter or in bulk relief.
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