ST. PETERSBURG -- On the heels of a very disappointing road trip, the Rays entered Friday night¡¯s game against the Mets with a 14-18 record, in danger of falling five games below .500 for the first time since 2018.

If you had to list the top reasons for the club¡¯s struggles, these three probably make the cut:

1. The bats haven¡¯t come through with runners in scoring position.
2. Lineup leaders Yandy Díaz (.219) and Randy Arozarena (.145) have been in season-long slumps.
3. Tampa Bay has the worst bullpen ERA (5.43) in the Majors.

But on this night, the Rays got the timely hits, the big knocks from their stars and the relief they have lacked en route to a 10-8 victory at Tropicana Field.

¡°We needed a win, no doubt,¡± said manager Kevin Cash, who tied Joe Maddon for the franchise record with his 754th win as the Rays¡¯ skipper.

Here¡¯s how No. 754 came together.

Keep the line moving
The Rays entered the series opener with a .229 average and a .634 OPS with runners in scoring position. That included a 1-for-21 stretch over their past four games to end that road trip. But back at home, the Rays got to Mets starter Jose Quintana early and often.

After falling behind 3-0 in the second inning, Tampa Bay struck back with three runs in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by an RBI double from Curtis Mead and an RBI single from D¨ªaz, both with two outs.

The Rays followed immediately with a five-run third, matching their highest-scoring inning of the season. That frame featured center fielder Jonny DeLuca, making his Rays debut after recovering from a fractured right hand, lining a two-run single to left over New York¡¯s drawn-in infield to extend the lead to 7-3. D¨ªaz capped the barrage with another RBI knock.

Through the first three innings Friday, the Rays went 6-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Their eight runs doubled their best output from innings 1-3 in any game this season.

¡°We hadn't gotten too many runs, so it was good to see that,¡± Arozarena said via team interpreter Manny Navarro. ¡°Everyone's been working hard. Everyone's been trying to get those results, and they hadn't been happening. But I think with everyone's hard work, we can keep it going from here on forward.¡±

The stars dazzle
After D¨ªaz lined that run-scoring hit in the second inning -- a 110.4 mph single that was his third-hardest-hit ball this season -- he pumped his fist as he headed to first and raised his arms far above his head as he reached the bag.

He said that emotion wasn¡¯t a sign of relief; he was just happy to come through in a big spot. But Cash said that hit could allow D¨ªaz to ¡°finally exhale¡± after a season where he has fallen far shy of expectations. Last season¡¯s AL batting champion came into the game batting .211 with a .556 OPS. His two-hit performance snapped an 0-for-15 skid.

Likewise, Arozarena has been one of the worst hitters in the big leagues through the season¡¯s first five weeks. But he reached base four times in the win via three walks and a 445-foot solo homer in the fourth inning. That clout is tied for the second-longest homer of Arozarena¡¯s career, bested only by a 448-foot dinger against the Twins last season.

¡°I¡¯ve continued to say he¡¯s working, He's grinding,¡± Cash said of Arozarena. ¡°He probably takes more swings than anybody on our team as far as getting out there and getting on the field and putting the work in. It has not been coming easy, but [it] had to have felt pretty good for him today.¡±

The 'pen is mightier
Tampa Bay¡¯s bullpen, traditionally a team strength, has not provided much relief this season, as evidenced by its 5.55 ERA going into the game. The group¡¯s 65 walks trail only the White Sox for the most in MLB. But after starting pitcher Aaron Civale surrendered seven runs in 4 2/3 innings, the quartet of Shawn Armstrong, Phil Maton, Kevin Kelly and Jason Adam limited the Mets to only one run on four hits and no walks the rest of the way.

¡°I felt like the guys did a phenomenal job,¡± said Adam, who picked up his second save. ¡°Those high-scoring games like that, you got to come in and lock it because hitting seems to be contagious. ¡­ That was huge.¡±

Actually, there might have been a fourth key to this win: The Rays¡¯ City Connect jerseys, which they wore in a game for the first time.

"They're beautiful,¡± D¨ªaz said via Navarro. ¡°I think that gave us all the energy today.¡±