Jonny DeLuca’s walk-off, two-run triple in extra innings propelled the Tampa Bay Rays to a 7-6 win and a series sweep of the New York Mets on Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
With Ben Rortvedt and Jose Caballero on first and third, respectively, DeLuca hit a line drive to center field to win it in the 10th inning as the Rays finished off the three-game series in style.
Jake Diekman (1-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit in the extra inning for New York, which has lost three straight and five of its past seven.
The Mets went ahead 6-5 in the top of the 10th, as Harrison Bader scored when Brandon Nimmo reached on a missed-catch error by first baseman Yandy Diaz. Nimmo was initially ruled out, but the play was reviewed and the call was overturned.
Randy Arozarena tied it at 5-5 for the Rays in the ninth with a two-out solo home run to left-center field.
Rays reliever Erasmo Ramirez (1-0) allowed a walk in two-thirds of an inning in the 10th. Starter Ryan Pepiot allowed three runs on three hits before leaving with no outs in the third after he was hit in the leg by Starling Marte’s line-drive single.
New York went ahead 5-4 in the fourth. Bader reached on a fielding error by Jose Siri in center field, and Brett Baty hit a ground-ball single. Omar Narvaez drove in Bader with a single to right field, tying it at 4-4.
Kevin Kelly came in to replace reliever Manuel Rodriguez.
Nimmo then singled on a line drive to center field, scoring Baty.
Tampa Bay pulled in front, 4-3, in the third when DeLuca singled to left field to bring home Caballero.
The Mets took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. After Marte drew a one-out walk, Francisco Lindor belted his sixth home run of the season into the right field stands.
In the second, Caballero drew another walk and scored on Alex Jackson’s ground-ball double down the left field line to cut Tampa Bay’s deficit to 2-1.
DeLuca reached on a fielder’s choice and Siri’s sacrifice bunt gave the Rays runners on second and third with one out. Diaz came up and put the Rays ahead 3-2 with a single up the middle, driving in Jackson and DeLuca.
The Mets tied it in the third. With Narvaez and Nimmo on and nobody out, Marte delivered his hard-hit single that deflected off Pepiot’s leg, loading the bases.
That forced the Rays to bring in Rodriguez.
After Lindor lined out and Pete Alonso popped out, DJ Stewart drew a walk, scoring Narvaez.
–Field Level Media
