Jonny DeLuca's walk-off triple gives Rays first sweep of season

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jonny DeLuca has only been a Ray, officially, for three games, but he has made an impact.

The outfielder hit a sacrifice fly past a diving Mets centerfielder to drive in two runs and walk off a 7-6 win over New York in front of 19,310 at Tropicana Field on Sunday afternoon.

The Rays (17-18) swept the series, their first sweep of the season. They also won three straight games for the first time since April 9-10, 12. It matches their season-high win streak.

The Mets had scored the go-ahead run with two outs in the 10th when Yandy Diaz dropped a deflected ball at first base as Brandon Nimmo crossed the bag. The initial call was out but it was overturned on video replay.

The Rays got to extra innings on the very last chance.

Down to their last strike, with Mets All-Star closer Edwin Diaz trying to finish off Randy Arozarena, the Rays’ struggling outfielder came up with his first hit of the day. After striking out three times previously, Arozarena turned on a 3-2 fastball and hammered a home run to leftfield to tie the score at 4.

Amed Rosario followed on a bloop single and stole second base, but Jose Caballero struck out to send the game to extra innings.

Catcher Alex Jackson had an RBI double and Diaz had a two-run single in the three-run second inning. Jose Caballero, who had four stolen bases, swiped his third after walking in the third inning. That set up DeLuca’s RBI single to give the Rays the edge at 4-3.

Rays starter Ryan Pepiot allowed three runs on three hits, walked a batter and struck out three in two innings of work. He left in the third after taking a line drive off the shin. The team announced he had a lower leg contusion and he is considered “day-to-day.”

That he could return in a relatively short time is the good news.

The bad news was Tampa Bay had to scramble to cover the next 18 outs with a bullpen that already was without Colin Poche (mid-back tightness) and Pete Fairbanks (nerve-related issue).

Luis Severino allowed four runs on four hits and six walks over five innings Sunday. He struck out six for the Mets.

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