Mets 9, Rays 6: Kirk Nieuwenhuis had his first career two-homer game and drove in three runs as visiting New York completed a lopsided three-game sweep.

Lucas Duda also had three RBIs and Jason Bay homered for the Mets, who outscored the Rays 29-9 in the series and wound up 4-5 on their nine-game road trip.

Mets left-hander Johan Santana (4-3) labored through five-plus innings, walking four and allowing four runs on six hits for the victory.

Reliever Jon Rauch bailed out Santana by escaping a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the sixth and Frank Francisco struck out Ben Zobrist with the bases loaded in the ninth to secure his 16th save.

Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson (4-3) was pounded for eight runs on nine hits — both career highs — in 3 2/3 innings to remain winless in his last five starts.

Nieuwenhuis' second homer, a two-run shot in the fourth inning, snapped a 4-4 deadlock and put the Mets ahead to stay. Duda added a two-run double in the inning to end Hellickson's day.

Matt Joyce had a two-run double for Tampa Bay, which had won four straight entering the series with the Mets.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rays CF B.J. Upton went 0-for-4 and had his hitting streak snapped at nine games. ... Bill Mathews, the official scorer for Mets RHP R.A. Dickey's one-hitter on Wednesday night, said he stood by his call that Upton's first-inning bouncer was a hit. The Mets filed an appeal to have it ruled an error in order for Dickey to be credited with a no-hitter. Mets 3B David Wright was unable to grab the ball on a bare-handed attempt for the play in question. ... Nieuwenhuis' first-inning blast was the first leadoff homer for the Mets this season. ... New York swept an interleague series in an American League park for just the third time.