Nick Morabito's first career major league hit came at exactly the right moment.
The Mets jumped out to a big lead early against the Tampa Bay Rays and never let go, taking the series with a convincing victory. Morabito delivered a three-run double that helped put the game out of reach. According to Yahoo Sports, the win gave New York a needed bounce-back performance before an off day and a return home to face the Giants.
Before Wednesday's game, the Mets made a roster move, reinstating Justin Hagenman from the injured list and optioning Dylan Ross. The team also gave Jonah Tong a start with the big league club after he recently turned his season around in the minors.
The Mets will face some difficult roster decisions at the end of the season, particularly with players who have underperformed, and team officials are expected to evaluate what went wrong this year, especially as some former Mets have found success elsewhere.
Elsewhere in the National League East, Atlanta got a dominant 9-0 win over Washington. Ronald Acuna Jr. made history in that game, becoming the fastest player in MLB history to reach 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases.
The Miami Marlins pulled off a 9-6 comeback win over the Kansas City Royals. The Philadelphia Phillies were held to a 1-0 loss against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Washington's James Wood returned to the lineup for the Nationals after missing 27 games with an oblique strain.
Around the rest of baseball, Padres prospect Ethan Salas made his major league debut at 20 years old, becoming the youngest catcher to play in a game since Ivan Rodriguez. Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski gave up five earned runs against the Cubs, ending his streak of 25 consecutive starts allowing three earned runs or fewer.
The playoff race is tightening, and strength of schedule for teams still in contention could play a major role in determining who reaches October. Home runs are also leaving minor league parks at a historic pace this season, though the cause remains unclear.
On this date in Mets history, Jim Hickman became the first Met to hit three home runs in a game, back in 1965.
