Juan Soto’s 435-foot homer lifts Mets over Royals 3-1

By: Marc Bowman, The Associated Press Posted: 6:22 PM CDT Saturday, Jul. 12, 2025

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Juan Soto homered to lead the New York Mets past the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Saturday.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Juan Soto homered to lead the New York Mets past the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Saturday.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Juan Soto homered to lead the New York Mets past the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Saturday.

Soto’s two-run shot into the right field fountains opened the scoring in the fourth. Over his last 20 games, Soto has nine home runs and 19 RBIs.

Frankie Montas (2-1) threw first-pitch strikes to 14 of 19 batters while allowing a run on four hits and striking out five.

New York Mets' Juan Soto celebrates as he crosses the plate after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kyle Isbel and Jonathan India opened the sixth with doubles, reducing the Mets lead to 2-1. India had two of the Royals four hits, both doubles.

Reed Garrett relieved Montas and permitted India to advance on a wild pickoff attempt before retiring the heart of the Royals lineup, stranding the tying run.

Jeff McNeil’s two-out RBI single capped the scoring in the ninth.

Edwin Díaz allowed a walk in two hitless frames, earning his 19th save.

Scheduled Royals starter Michael Lorenzen missed the game with illness.

Jonathan Bowlan (1-2), the second of six Royals bullpen pitchers, threw three innings, allowing two runs on four hits, including Soto’s 435-foot home run.

For the second straight game, the Mets successfully challenged a safe call on a Royals stolen base attempt. In both instances — Tyler Tolbert on Friday and Bobby Witt Jr. on Saturday — the runner didn’t maintain contact with the base during a head-first slide.

Witt popped up twice with runners in scoring position while his 14-game hitting streak ended. The Royals batted 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position during the first two games of the series.

Key moment

With a runner at third and the infield drawn in, first baseman Pete Alonso made a diving stop of Vinnie Pasquantino’s sharp grounder, preserving the Mets one-run lead in the sixth.

Key stat