ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Nick Morabito got the first one out of the way and decided not to stop there.
The rookie waited until his 13th major league at-bat — hardly an eternity, but long enough for a player who debuted with the Mets over three months ago — to finally collect his initial hit. Two innings later Wednesday, he had a multihit game.
Morabito’s seventh-inning double that cleared the previously loaded bases highlighted the Mets’ 10-4 romp over the Rays in the series rubber game at Tropicana Field.
Morabito capped his night with a single in the ninth after his diving catch in left field ended the eighth. He began the night on the bench before entering the game as a pinch runner.
A going-nowhere team in search of a late-season morale boost has this: a series victory over a first-place opponent.
After failing to attain that baseline of success in their previous three series, all against division leaders, the Mets finally delivered.
This one consisted of a strong bullpen performance and an offensive attack that included at least one hit from every starter except Luis Torrens.
The Rays (83-56) began the night with a 4 ½-game lead on the Yankees for the American League East lead, so the Mets provided neighborly assistance for their interborough rival by winning the series.
Of course, the Mets will look to undo it when they play at Yankee Stadium next weekend.
Justin Hagenman, in his season debut, gave the Mets three innings and allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk.
The right-hander, who spent most of this season rehabbing a rib fracture, was on a low pitch count after only three minor league rehab appearances.
Jared Young’s two-run single in the first inning accounted for the game’s initial scoring.
Young, who began the day with an .824 OPS since July 5, had his first career three RBI game last Saturday against the Astros.
Marcus Semien delivered an RBI double behind Young that extended the Mets’ lead to 3-0 against Griffin Jax.
Brett Baty knocked out Jax in the third inning with a bases-loaded double for three runs. Bo Bichette and A.J. Ewing each had singles in the inning, sandwiched around a walk to Semien.
Jonathan Aranda’s RBI single in the bottom of the inning gave the Rays their run against Hagenman and sliced the Rays’ deficit to 6-1.
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Chris Devenski allowed three earned runs on four hits in the fourth inning.
Cedric Mullins delivered an RBI single before Richie Palacios smacked a two-run homer.
Devenski was removed after getting only two outs.
In the seventh, Morabito hit a line drive just over third base to clear the bases and extend the Mets lead to 9-4.
Juan Soto homered in the eighth. The blast was his second since rejoining the team Saturday and 23rd this season.
