Fernando Nieve’s 2nd strong start, Brian Schneider’s 3-run HR lead Mets past Rays 5-3

Nieve, Schneider lead Mets over Rays 5-3

NEW YORK — Fernando Nieve turned in another impressive start and Brian Schneider hit a three-run homer, leading the New York Mets to a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.

David Wright added an RBI double and Daniel Murphy had three hits for the Mets, who opened a 10-game homestand by improving to 6-10 in June. Francisco Rodriguez rebounded from a blown save with a perfect ninth inning.

In the first meeting between these teams since 2001, the Rays mustered little offense against Nieve (2-0). B.J. Upton manufactured one run with his speed and later hit a two-run double.

The AL champions have dropped three straight following a season-best six-game winning streak. They fell to 14-22 on the road overall.

The injury-riddled Mets are 19-11 at Citi Field, with 13 wins in their last 18 home games.

Filling in for injured starter John Maine, Nieve has provided a surprising boost for a depleted rotation that’s also missing Oliver Perez.

Claimed off waivers in March and called up from the minors June 5, Nieve made his first start for the Mets in a 6-2 victory at Yankee Stadium last Saturday — his first major league win in nearly three years.

He was just as good in this one, allowing one run and three hits in six innings.

Upton’s two-run double off Bobby Parnell cut it to 4-3 in the seventh, but Pedro Feliciano retired Carl Crawford on a grounder back to the mound to preserve the lead.

Resurgent reliever Sean Green struck out three in the eighth, escaping a two-on jam. Ryan Church added a two-out RBI single in the bottom half off J.P. Howell to make it 5-3.

Rodriguez, who squandered a one-run lead in Thursday night’s 5-4 loss at Baltimore, earned his 18th save in 20 chances.

Schneider’s shot off Andy Sonnanstine (5-7) in the second inning was his first homer since connecting twice on Sept. 18 at Washington, his former team.

The drive to right-center followed Gary Sheffield’s single and a walk to Church.

Alex Cora singled to start the third and scored on Wright’s two-out double off the right-field fence. Streaky all season, Wright snapped an 0-for-10 slide that came on the heels of a 24-for-43 surge during an 11-game hitting streak.

Tampa Bay trimmed it to 4-1 in the sixth. Upton reached on an infield single, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Carlos Pena’s RBI grounder.

Sonnanstine gave up seven hits in six innings, falling to 1-7 with an 8.22 ERA in nine starts on the road this year.

NOTES: Pat Burrell, a longtime Mets nemesis while playing for Philadelphia, drew a chorus of boos when he pinch hit in the seventh. He struck out against Parnell before Upton’s double. … Wright also struck out three times. … Rays SS Jason Bartlett extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 games. … LHP Johan Santana, coming off the worst start of his career, faces Tampa Bay RHP James Shields on Saturday. … Church also stole two bases, giving him five this season. … Crawford grounded into a double play for only the second time this year.