Mets work more magic, rally past Nats for 8th win in row

Luis Guillorme picked a perfect time for his first big league homer — a tying shot leading off the eighth — J.D. Davis added a go-ahead sacrifice fly and the New York Mets worked their magic again, beating the Washington Nationals 4-3 Saturday night for their eighth straight victory.

The Mets have won 15 of 16 and are on their best roll since a 16-1 run in 1990. They pulled within a half-game of Washington for the first NL wild card and will try for a three-game sweep Sunday.

Juan Soto put Washington ahead 3-2 with his second home run of the game in the eighth inning, but Guillorme — a backup infielder — countered against Fernando Rodney with his first connection in the bottom of the inning. Guillorme entered with a .192 average in 56 major league games.

After two more Mets reached against Rodney (05), Daniel Hudson relieved. He got one out, intentionally walked slugger Pete Alonso, and then Davis hit a drive to deep right field that brought in newcomer Joe Panik for the tiebreaking run.

Wilson Ramos, celebrating his 32nd birthday, hit a two-out drive to right-center, but Victor Robles made a leaping catch against the wall to end the inning.

It was the second consecutive blown save for Washington’s bullpen. Closer Sean Doolittle allowed four runs in the ninth inning of a 7-6 loss Friday night.

Soto hit a two-run drive in the first inning against Noah Syndergaard, and the 2-0 lead held until Davis and Ramos put fervor into Flushing with consecutive solo shots off Patrick Corbin in the fourth.

Soto struck again in the eighth against Seth Lugo (52), ending the reliever’s string of 14 consecutive scoreless appearances. Lugo got two outs to tie the Mets record with 26 consecutive batters retired before Soto hit a nodoubter to right field.

Soto has 24 homers this season, and the 20-year-old already has four career multihomer games.

Mike Trout hit the first home run of his career at Fenway Park and Los Angeles snapped an eight-game losing streak with a rout of Boston.

Justin Upton added a threerun homer in the first inning.

With his 428-foot drive over the Green Monster in the sixth inning, Trout has now homered in every American League ballpark. He had played 21 games in Boston without connecting.

Trout was replaced in the seventh, having been hit in his shoulder by a pitcher earlier in the game. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a go-ahead, two-run triple in the seventh inning and Toronto dealt New York its second straight loss following a season-high nine game winning streak.

Gary Sanchez returned from injured list and hit a solo home run for the Yankees and Gio Urshela added a two-run drive.

Mike Montgomery struck out a career-high 12 in seven innings and Kansas City beat Detroit.

Jorge Soler homered and scored twice for the Royals, who had lost six of seven. Rookie Yordan Alvarez hit three of Houston’s six home runs and drove in a careerhigh seven runs to help the Astros to the highest scoring game in franchise history with a rout of Baltimore.

The win was the eighth straight for the Astros, who became the latest team to feast on the reeling Orioles. Baltimore has allowed a major league-leading 240 homers and lost five straight. Adam Wainwright gave up a home run on the first pitch of the game but not much else, and St. Louis beat Pittsburgh.

Wainwright (8-8) allowed six hits, including the home run by Adam Frazier, and struck out eight in six innings. He improved to 6-2 this season at home.

AARON DOSTER — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Cincinnati Reds’ Aristides Aquino hits a solo home run, his second of the game, in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday in Cincinnati. The Reds rookie outfielder hit three in all as the Reds routed the Cubs, 10-1.

JULIO CORTEZ — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Houston’s Yordan Alvarez (44) is greeted at home by Aledmys Diaz (16) after Alvarez hit a grand slam off Orioles relief pitcher Tayler Scott during the seventh inning on Saturday in Baltimore. The Astros rookie hit three homers and knocked in seven runs.