Jacob deGrom tossed seven strong innings in his return to Citi Field and benefited from some early run support Friday night as the visiting Texas Rangers beat the free-falling New York Mets 8-3 in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

The Rangers (78-70), who scored six runs with two outs in the first, have won five straight. Texas remains two games behind the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners in the race for the American League West crown as well as the final AL wild card.

The Mets (76-72), who lost their seventh straight, saw their lead over the San Francisco Giants in the race for the last National League wild-card spot slip to a half-game. New York is on its third seven-game skid since June 13, a stretch in which the team has gone 31-48.

deGrom (12-7) allowed three runs on four hits and no walks while striking out two in his first game against the Mets since he left the club to sign with Texas in December 2022.

The right-hander, who spent nine seasons in New York, received a warm ovation during a tribute video that aired as he long-tossed in center field about 25 minutes before first pitch. deGrom doffed his cap as his warmup song, “Simple Man,” played.

deGrom retired the final 15 batters he faced after New York opened the third inning with three straight hits, including Francisco Alvarez’s leadoff homer. Juan Soto and Pete Alonso lofted sacrifice flies later in the frame.

The Rangers provided deGrom all the run support he’d need in the first against Jonah Tong (1-2). Josh Jung and Alejandro Osuna had RBI singles before Cody Freeman (single) and Michael Helman (double) had consecutive run-scoring hits to chase the rookie right-hander, who gave up four hits and walked three with one strikeout.

Texas’ Dylan Moore added a pinch-hit two-run homer in the seventh.

Jung, Helman, Josh Smith and Jake Burger had two hits apiece for the Rangers.

Alvarez had two hits for New York.

–Field Level Media