The Tampa Bay Rays enter their three-game home series with the New York Mets on Monday night riding a serious wave of momentum after sweeping the San Diego Padres in what probably was their “Game of the Year” on Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The American League East front-runners mounted a rally against San Diego star reliever Mason Miller, arguably the game’s best closer, creating a blown save for the star closer and winning 5-4 in 11 innings for their fourth straight victory.
Oddly, the Rays have been involved in sweeps with all five National League West teams: Three games over the Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks and Padres, and being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in three games.
It’s an unusual way to get to a 12-3 record against a division.
Down 3-1 in the ninth inning Sunday against the Padres and Miller, who had converted 32 of 33 save chances, the Rays saw Jonny DeLuca lob a two-out fly down the line that left fielder Samad Taylor initially caught running toward the low wall.
However, Taylor’s hard impact into the barrier with his glove extended made him drop the ball over the fence for a game-tying, two-run homer.
Fighting for the final National League wild-card spot with Arizona, San Diego entered Sunday’s contest with 98 straight wins in the regular season, including 59-0 this year, when leading in the ninth inning. The Padres took a 4-3 lead in the top of the 11th, but the Rays had tied the game again when Jorge Mateo came to the plate with the bases loaded.
That Padres’ streak ended when Mateo’s liner to left sailed over Taylor’s head, setting off a team celebration.
“That was exciting, bro. I just wanted to put the ball in play,” said Mateo, who produced his second career walk-off and had three stolen bases. “I didn’t want to try to do too much.”
In his fourth bid to reach double figures in wins, Tampa Bay left-hander Ian Seymour (9-5, 4.21 ERA) is expected to make his 42nd appearance and 12th start this season while facing the Mets for the first time in his career.
New York will bring a healthy Juan Soto, who has battled his way back from a left calf strain in July after dealing with a right calf strain in April.
It would be easy to not push the superstar outfielder’s return with New York in last place in the division and whose goal is probably only to get out of the cellar by passing the Washington Nationals.
According to Mets interim manager Andy Green, Soto has been the one doing the pushing.
“He’s worked incredibly hard over the past couple of weeks,” said Green, whose squad has lost four of its past five games. “He’s done a lot of it behind the scenes without people seeing it. He’s done it when we’re on the road. He’s pushed himself in a way that, frankly, you don’t see a lot of veterans push themselves when your team is in this type of situation that we’re in.”
Soto is hitting .283 with 22 homers and 54 RBIs in 86 games. The 27-year-old outfielder has a .950 OPS — still a difference maker while trying to stay healthy.
The Mets will turn to Robert Stock (0-3, 7.40 ERA) on Monday in his sixth start this season. He’s looking to rebound from a disastrous outing against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers in an 8-1 defeat on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old right-hander surrendered seven runs on 10 hits in a four-inning start.
Stock has no record and a 6.00 ERA in three innings over two relief appearances against the Rays.
–Field Level Media
