SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — In a game that pivoted decisively in the opening inning, the San Francisco Giants rode a three-run first and a standout major league debut from catcher Daniel Susac to a 7-2 victory over the New York Mets on Thursday night at Oracle Park.

A crowd of 32,073 watched as the Giants, improving to 3-4, snapped a two-game skid and handed the Mets their third consecutive defeat, dropping New York to an identical 3-4 mark.

The most critical sequence unfolded immediately after the Mets staked left-hander David Peterson to a quick lead. New York pushed across a run in the top of the first on an RBI double from Bo Bichette, scoring Juan Soto, who had reached on a fielder’s choice. The Mets doubled their advantage in the second when Mark Vientos launched a solo home run to left field off Giants starter Robbie Ray.

Peterson, however, could not preserve the early support. The Giants answered with force in the bottom of the first, erasing the deficit and seizing control. After a leadoff strikeout, the inning unraveled for Peterson. Heliot Ramos reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a triple by Luis Arraez. Matt Chapman followed by driving in Arraez with a double to tie the game. The go-ahead run scored on a costly missed catch error by Peterson on a ball hit by Jung Hoo Lee, allowing Chapman to cross the plate for a 3-2 Giants lead.

That first-inning rally set the tone. San Francisco never relinquished the lead, methodically adding on while their pitching staff silenced the Mets’ bats after the second inning. The Giants extended their lead to 5-2 in the third on back-to-back sacrifice flies from Lee and Harrison Bader. They tacked on single runs in the fifth, on an RBI single from Casey Schmitt, and in the sixth on a solo home run by Rafael Devers.

The story of the night, however, was the 24-year-old Susac. Making his first big league start, the rookie catcher and younger brother of former Giants catcher Andrew Susac, went a perfect 3 for 3 with a walk. He singled in his first two career at-bats against Peterson, walked, and added another single off Mets reliever Sean Manaea.

His performance headlined a relentless 13-hit attack by the Giants. Schmitt matched Susac by going 3 for 3 with a walk and an RBI. Devers finished 2 for 5 with his homer, while Arraez and Chapman each had two hits and an RBI.

On the mound, Robbie Ray earned the win, shaking off a tough first outing of the season. The left-hander allowed two runs on three hits over 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven. After the Vientos homer in the second, Ray retired 10 of the next 11 batters he faced. Reliever Blade Tidwell was exceptional in relief, firing three scoreless innings and allowing just two hits to secure his first save of the season.

Peterson took the loss for New York, tagged for five runs, four earned, on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. The Mets managed only five hits total, with Bichette’s double and Vientos’ homer accounting for their only extra-base hits and RBIs. The New York offense went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and hit into three double plays.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 4-3 Mets victory. The combined nine runs also went under the posted over/under line of 7.

Both teams will continue their four-game series Friday night at Oracle Park. The Mets will look to halt their losing streak, while the Giants aim to build momentum and climb above .500 for the first time this young season.