NEW YORK — The Tampa Bay Rays showcased their prowess once again with a decisive 8-4 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday, fueled by stellar performances from Taylor Walls and Yandy Díaz, who each contributed two hits and two RBIs. This triumph continues the Rays’ strong phase, as they have secured victories in eight out of their last eleven games, solidifying their dominance with a leading record of 17-6 and accumulating 134 runs since the 20th of May.
The game’s momentum shifted dramatically in the fourth inning, where Junior Caminero’s home run initiated a powerful five-run outburst for Tampa Bay. Contributing further to the scoreboard, Josh Lowe and Brandon Lowe each added two hits and one RBI to their names. The Rays’ pitcher Drew Rasmussen achieved his sixth win, extending his streak to five consecutive winning decisions. Despite allowing seven hits and four runs across five innings, Rasmussen’s performance remained commendable, recording three strikeouts. Before this game, he had only given up two runs over a total of 29 innings in his preceding five starts.
On the Mets’ side, Brandon Nimmo stood out with three hits and two RBIs. Meanwhile, Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio each launched a home run, yet it wasn’t enough to prevent the Mets from facing back-to-back defeats, a first occurrence since their streak of losses between May 18 and May 20. This series defeat marks New York’s first since being overpowered by the Boston Red Sox from May 19 to May 21. The Mets, alongside the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds, remain one of three teams that haven’t suffered a complete sweep so far this season.
Mets’ pitcher Tylor Megill endured a challenging outing, conceding six runs, half of which were earned, within just 3 2/3 innings and struck out five batters. A pivotal moment in the fourth inning was Taylor Walls’ effective safety squeeze, which brought Jake Mangum home, ensuring the Rays maintained a permanent lead at 3-2. However, Megill’s recent form has shown inconsistency, with a 5.79 ERA across his last eight starts compared to a promising start of 1.74 ERA in his initial six games this season. Over his career, Megill has shown a tendency to see his ERA rise from a 2.45 in March and April to 5.01 in subsequent months.
Looking ahead, the concluding game of the series on Sunday will feature Mets’ right-hander Griffin Canning, who holds a 6-2 record with a 3.22 ERA, competing against Rays’ right-hander Shane Baz, who comes into the match with a 5-3 record and a 4.97 ERA.