Thursday, 4 a.m.

Days like this aren't supposed to happen in the middle of a pennant race.

The Tampa Bay Rays were smothered Wednesday night, getting blown out 10-4 by the New York Mets at Tropicana Field. The Mets are the last-place team in the NL East.

The Mets scored three runs in three different innings against the Rays. The first three-spot came in the first, when the Mets jumped on Rays' starter Griffin Jax, who was starting his first game in a month. Jax lasted only eight outs and gave up six earned runs.

The Rays came back to within 6-4 on Richie Palacios’ two-run homer in the fourth.

Chandler Simpson had two hits for the Rays.

Brett Baty had a bases-loaded double for the Mets.

The Rays next game is in Texas against the Rangers at 8:05 tonight. Shane McClanahan (10-6) will start for the Rays against Cal Quantrill (6-5).

Wednesday, 4 a.m.

Suddenly, Freddy Peralta is a star again. At least, he is shining a lot more often.

Peralta pitched his second straight strong game in a 6-2 victory over the New York Mets Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

After giving up a leadoff home run to Francisco Lindor, Peralta rebounded to throw six innings of three-hit baseball. All three hits came in the first inning.

Peralta, pitching against the team that traded him to the Rays, improved his record to 7-11. It was enough to make critics rethink the trade evaluations that were unkind.

The Rays had 13 hits themselves, pulling away late. It was a 2-1 game going into the bottom of the sixth.

After Lindor's leadoff homer, Junior Caminero singled in Yandy Diaz in the bottom of the first. In the third inning, Ryan Vilade singled in Victor Mesa Jr.

In the sixth, Nick Fortes doubled in Chandler Simpson and Taylor Walls hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Fortes. Diaz then hit his 21st home run.

In the eighth, Vilade grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Mesa Jr.

The Mets' final run came on four walks in the seventh. Reliever Garrett Cleavinger gave up three of the walks.

The Rays left nine men on base and were just 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Mesa Jr., in his first game back since coming off the injured list, had three hits to lead the Rays. Diaz, Vilade, Caminero and Fortes all had two.

The Rays and Mets close out their series tonight at 6:40 at Tropicana Field. Griffin Jax (6-9) will start for the Rays against Justin Hagenman (0-0).

Tuesday, 4 a.m.

The trouble with come-from-behind victories is this:

You can't count on them all the time.

After two straight days of comeback victories , the Rays fell just short Monday night in a 3-2 loss to the New York Mets at Tropicana Field. The Rays had won six of seven games before losing to the Mets.

Tampa Bay trailed 3-0 going into the eighth inning. They scored twice on singles by Liam Hicks and Chandler Simpson. They had their leadoff hitter reach in the bottom of the ninth, but could not get him home.

Ian Seymour started and went 6 1/3 innings -- a quality start, but the Rays scored their fewest runs in eight games. The Rays had nine hits and two walks, but left eight men on base. In the fifth, the Rays loaded the bases with no one out but could not score.

Hicks had two hits for the Rays.

The Rays and Mets play again tonight at 6:40 at Tropicana Field. Freddy Peralta (6-11) will start for the Rays against his former team, which will counter with Sean Manaea (4-6).