Mets' Nick Morabito's three-run double breaks it open as club takes 2 of 3 from AL-best Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Rookie Nick Morabito had a three-run double for his first major-league hit and later made a sparkling defensive play in leftfield, helping the Mets beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 10-4, Wednesday night.

Morabito, who entered as a pinch runner for Mark Vientos in the sixth inning, came up with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh and slashed a 2-2 pitch from Manuel Rodriguez down the leftfield line to turn the Mets’ two-run lead into a 9-4 advantage.

In the eighth, Victor Mesa Jr. sent a sinking liner to left that Morabito chased down and made a diving catch to end the inning.

Morabito, who started his big-league career hitless in his first 12 at-bats, added a single in the ninth.

Juan Soto slugged his 23rd homer — a solo shot in the eighth — as part of the Mets’ 14-hit performance.

Jared Young hit an RBI single and Marcus Semien doubled in a run as the Mets (63-77) scored three times in the first off Griffin Jax (6-10), making his first start in a month.

Stony Brook’s Steven Matz relieved Jax and pitched 2 1⁄3 hitless innings.

Brett Baty chased Jax with a three-run double with two outs that put the Mets up 6-0 in the third. Jax allowed seven hits and walked two.

Justin Hagenman went three innings in his first start for the Mets this season and second of his career. The righthander retired the first eight Rays before issuing a two-out walk to Taylor Walls in the third. Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda had back-to-back singles to cut it to 6-1.

Former Met Cedric Mullins singled in a run and Richie Palacios hit his sixth homer, a two-run shot off Chris Devenski that got the Rays (83-56) within 6-4 in the fourth.

Dedniel Nunez (1-0) got four outs and rookie Nate Lavender retired the next five and still has not allowed a run through 12 appearances. Daniel Duarte got four outs and Jonathan Pintaro pitched a perfect ninth to end it.