Spencer Steer had three RBIs and Tyler Stephenson hit a two-run homer to cap a four-run fourth inning Monday for the visiting Cincinnati Reds, who beat the reeling New York Mets 7-2 in the opener of a three-game series.

JJ Bleday homered in the third — his seventh round-tripper in 25 games since joining Cincinnati on April 26 — while Eugenio Suarez went 2-for-3 and scored twice for the Reds, who have won four of five.

Marcus Semien, batting cleanup for the first time this season, went 2-for-4 with a sixth-inning homer as the injury-wracked Mets suffered their sixth loss in seven games. Juan Soto sat out his second straight contest with an illness for New York, which lost Tyrone Taylor to right hip pain in the sixth.

Carson Benge had an RBI groundout in the seventh while Bo Bichette collected three singles.

Mets starter Nolan McLean (2-4) struck out the side in the first before the Reds scored twice on one hit in the second, when they loaded the bases with none out. Sal Stewart, who was hit by a pitch to open the inning, scored when Steer beat out the back end of a potential double play ball. Suarez raced home on a wild pitch during the next at-bat.

Bleday blasted a two-out solo shot over the right-center field fence in the third inning.

The Reds batted around while chasing McLean in the fourth. Suarez led off with a walk and went to third on Nathaniel Lowe’s double before both scored on Steer’s single. Stephenson followed three pitches later with a homer to left.

The outburst against McLean was more than enough for Nick Lodolo (1-1), who gave up one run on six hits and no walks while striking out seven in six innings.

McLean allowed the seven runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six over 3 1/3 innings. He has surrendered 16 runs (13 earned) over nine innings in his last two starts as his ERA has risen from 2.92 to 4.40.

The Mets pitching staff recorded 15 strikeouts in the game. Elly De La Cruz fanned four times in five at-bats.

–Field Level Media