Rays 2, Mets 1: deRays beat deGrom

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

I am definitely the first one to ever make that joke...

The Rays came into tonight’s game having already clinched a playoff berth. At this point, they are playing for three things:

1. The division
2. The No. 1 seed in the playoffs, and
3. Home Field Advantage

But they would have no small task in front of them, as they would have to go through back to back National League Cy Young Award Winner Jacob deGrom. After the top of the first, it did indeed look like it would be a long night for the Rays offense, as the first three Rays hitters struck out via triple digit fastballs.

The Rays on the other hand went with a double opener, starting Pete Fairbanks and following with Ryan Thompson. Josh Flemming provided the bulk innings, going three frames and giving up just one run,

Overall it was another great outing for deGrom, striking out 14 Rays hitters in 7 innings of work. the two runs the Rays scored coming on a sacrifice fly by Manuel Margot and this solo blast by Nate Lowe:

Fortunately, the two runs were all the Rays needed, as Diego Castillo, Ryan Sherriff and Nick Anderson all provided scoreless relief to close it out. It wasn’t a particularly pretty showing for the Rays offense, but as they say, a win is a win is a win.

All the while, the Yankees fell to the Blue Jays and the White Sox fell to Cleveland, widening the Rays gaps in both the division and the top seed. The magic number for the division is now 1.