CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds once again were no match for the newly crowned NL East champion New York Mets.

Starter Keyvius Sampson lasted just 2 2-3 innings, a pair of errors led to four unearned runs and the Reds fell to Jacob deGrom and a makeshift lineup 8-1 Sunday for their eighth straight loss.

Despite giving all of their regulars the day off, the Mets completed the first season sweep by either team since New York started play in 1962, going 7-0 against Cincinnati. They outscored the Reds 36-12 in these four games at Great American Ball Park and extended their franchise-record road winning streak to 11.

“Sampson made some elevation mistakes but they’re feeling it right now. There was blood in the water,” manager Bryan Price said. “Even though they started all bench players, they are riding a high and they’re playing a team that’s struggling and not playing very well.”

Sampson (2-6) dropped his fifth straight start, allowing five runs — three earned — and nine hits in 2 2-3 innings.

“My fastball isn’t there,” Sampson said. “This is the first time I’ve pitched into September. I threw some good pitches with my curve, but when I did the ball seemed to find a hole.”

DeGrom (14-8) gave up one run and five hits, striking out nine without a walk in six innings. He also got two hits and drove in two runs.

Dilson Herrera and Kevin Plawecki hit rare home runs as the Mets enjoyed their first full day as division champions. At 89-67, New York is trying to stay ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers (87-67) for homefield advantage in their likely Division Series matchup.

Herrera’s two-run homer in the second was his third of the season and first in 38 at bats since June 14. Plawecki’s solo shot in the sixth was his third of the season and first in 164 at bats since May 16.

DeGrom retired 14 straight batters between Skip Schumaker’s first inning, leadoff double, which glanced off the glove of left fielder Michael Conforto, and Eugenio Suarez’s two-out single in the fifth.

Consecutive singles by Schumaker, Ivan De Jesus Jr. and Joey Votto broke up deGrom’s shutout bid in the sixth. Votto has reached base at least once in 44 consecutive games.

New York scored a pair of unearned runs in the fifth when De Jesus dropped deGrom’s routine fly ball to left field.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: INF/OF Kristopher Negron, who sustained a season-ending shoulder injury this month, was transferred to the 60-day DL when Cincinnati claimed OF Tyler Holt off waivers from Cleveland.

UP NEXT

Reds: Cincinnati travels to Washington for the makeup of a game postponed on July 8 by the possibility of a storm that never developed. LHP Brandon Finnegan (1-1) will make his third career big league start.

ROAD RUNNERS

The Mets enjoyed their 31st consecutive road game with at least three runs on Sunday, the longest streak in the National League since 1900, the team reported in citing the Elias Sports Bureau. They went into the game tied with the 1912 New York Giants.