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).

Monday, 4 a.m.

A win such as this allowed one thought to creep into your head: Maybe, just maybe, the Tampa Bay Rays can hold onto this AL East thing.

The Rays won in an improbable fashion Sunday, 5-4 over the San Diego Padres at Tropicana Field. Twice, they came from behind when the game appeared to be over.

It was their 14th sweep of the season.

The heroes?

-- Jorge Mateo singled with the bases loaded in the 11th inning to bring in the winning run.

-- Jonny DeLuca, batting against the great Mason Miller, hit a home run with two in the ninth to force extra innings. It appeared the left fielder Samad Taylor caught the ball, but when Taylor hit the fence, he dropped the ball on the other side of it. DeLuca brought in the run to tie the game at 4-4 in the 11th when Xander Bogaerts couldn't field his groundout.

-- Starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen went six innings and allowed four hits and two runs. One of the hits and both runs could be contested as a grounder went off Taylor Wells' glove.

-- Junior Caminero pulled into a tie for the AL East in home runs with his 37th.

Oh, there were flaws. The Rays committed two errors, which doesn't count Walls' play or a wild throw on a bunt by Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis was called out for running in the basepaths.

Still, the Rays battled against the Padres' bullpen, which has been the best in the majors this year.

Caminero had two hits. Tyler Wells won the game for the Rays.

Tampa Bay now leads the AL East by 4 1/2 games over the Yankees and 8 1/2 over the Red Sox. They have won four in a row.

The Rays open a three-game series against the Mets tonight at 6:40. Ian Seymour (9-5) will start for the Rays against Robert Stock (0-3).