Juan Sotos two home runs propel Mets past Phillies for series-opening win

PHILADELPHIA — Bo Bichette’s streak of multihit games ended Thursday night, but the guy batting behind him, as well as the rest of the Mets lineup, kept marching. Juan Soto blasted two homers in the first three innings before the Mets broke out in the seventh for a 6-4 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.  Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.It was a second straight win for the Mets spurred by the lineup (they scored nine runs in beating the Reds on Wednesday), and Francisco Lindor’s return looms; the shortstop is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday and could rejoin the Mets within days. Bichette, who had recorded six straight multiple-hit games, finished 0-for-5. Sean Manaea gave the Mets a chance by limiting the Phillies to three runs, two earned, on six hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 5 ¹/₃ innings.

The lefty’s ERA, which peaked at 6.85 on May 6, fell to 4.64. Soto’s two-out homer in the first against Aaron Nola accounted for the Mets’ initial run.Soto crushed a 1-2 cutter into the right field seats before Nola’s fielding error on Jared Young’s grounder gave the Mets another base runner.

A.J.Ewing followed with an RBI double that widened the lead to 2-0. But Manaea gave back one run in the bottom of the inning on Alec Bohm’s RBI single.

Manaea drilled Trea Turner and allowed a single to Kyle Schwarber to begin the inning.Bryce Harper, on base on a fielder’s choice, was thrown out attempting to steal third base to conclude the inning. Soto’s second blast of the night gave the Mets a 3-1 lead in the third.

It was the 30th multihomer game of Soto’s career and second this season.He leads the Mets with 17 homers. Sloppy defense by Francisco Alvarez cost the Mets a run in the third.

Alvarez was charged with a passed ball and error on Strike 3 to Schwarber when he threw errantly to firs...