By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Joey Ortiz went 3 for 3 and was a homer away from the cycle to help the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the New York Mets 4-3 on Wednesday.

Christian Yelich drove in two runs and Logan Henderson matched a career high with nine strikeouts for NL Central-leading Milwaukee, which took two of three from New York. Marcus Semien and Brett Baty homered for the Mets, who are last in the NL East.

Ortiz hit a two-run triple in the second inning, singled in the fourth and had a ground-rule double in the sixth before walking in the eighth. He also made a diving stop of a grounder by A.J. Ewing and threw to first for the final out.

Ortiz is batting .373 (19 of 51) since July 4, improving his season average from .201 to .239.

Henderson (4-1) allowed five hits and two runs without walking anyone in five innings. He faced a Mets lineup missing five-time All-Star Juan Soto, who got the day off.

Trailing 4-2, New York put runners on first and second in the eighth against Abner Uribe before second baseman Brice Turang made an outstanding defensive play — going well to his right to field a grounder from Jorge Polanco — to end the threat.

Francisco Alvarez singled home Tyrone Taylor with two outs in the ninth before Trevor Megill got his 16th save in 18 opportunities. Megill's streak of 15 straight scoreless appearances ended.

New York's Christian Scott (3-2) struck out six and allowed three runs, four hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Up next

Mets: Sean Manaea (2-5, 4.74 ERA) pitches Friday's series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, who haven't announced a starter.

Brewers: Host Colorado starting Friday. The scheduled starters for the opener are Milwaukee's Shane Drohan (5-3, 3.20) and Colorado's Tomoyuki Sugano (9-4, 4.76).

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