Los Angeles Dodgers vs New York Mets

NEW YORK -- — Roki Sasaki pitched seven sparkling innings, Kyle Tucker hit a two-run homer and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 4-2 on Friday night. Freddie Freeman had three hits and Shohei Ohtani put Los Angeles ahead 2-1 with a sacrifice fly off Brooks Raley (4-5) in the seventh. Tucker homered against left-hander A.J. Minter with two outs in the eighth after Freeman singled leading off the inning and stole second base. It was the eighth homer this year and first since June 27 for the slumping Tucker, who spurned the Mets in free agency last offseason to sign a $240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers. Luis Robert Jr. and Francisco Alvarez homered for New York in the opener of a 10-game homestand. The last-place Mets (43-61) fell a season-worst 18 games under .500 as they prepare for a selloff ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. New York slugger Juan Soto was removed for a pinch hitter in the sixth because of left calf soreness. Coming off a fine outing at Yankee Stadium a week ago, Sasaki (4-5) allowed one run and three hits while striking out nine and walking two for his first win in nine starts since May 23 at Milwaukee. He retired his final nine batters, striking out five. Alvarez went deep against Evan Phillips in the eighth before Tanner Scott worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save. Mets starter Sean Manaea pitched six effective innings and gave up only Miguel Rojas' tying sacrifice fly in the fourth. Manaea was helped out by rookie right fielder Carson Benge, who had a pair of assists. Benge relayed to shortstop Francisco Lindor to throw out Ohtani trying to stretch a leadoff double in the fifth, then cut down Freeman at home plate with a 100 mph throw after catching Rojas' flyball for an inning-ending double play in the sixth. The crowd of 35,338 on Japanese Heritage Night at Citi Field was filled with fans of the Dodgers, who outhit the Mets 11-4 and improved to 4-0 against them this season. The two-time defending World Series champions won their third straight game and upped the best record in the majors to 66-38. Up next Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (10-6, 2.78 ERA) faces Mets rookie Nolan McLean (7-6, 3.34) in an attractive matchup Saturday night. The two hooked up for a tight pitchers' duel April 14 in Los Angeles. ------ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB