QUEENS, NY (SNN-TV) – It seems nobody can slow down the Tampa Bay Rays these days — not even former MVP and Cy Young winner, Justin Verlander.
Isaac Paredes homered twice and drove in five runs, ruining Verlander’s home debut for New York as the Rays rolled to an 8-5 victory last night.
Yonny Chirinos got 14 outs after opener Jalen Beeks tossed two scoreless innings. Jose Siri also went deep and Harold Ramírez had two RBI singles among his three hits for the Rays, who improved the best record in baseball to 32-11. That’s the most wins after 43 games for any club since the 2001 Seattle Mariners also had 32.
The 40-year-old Verlander served up both long balls to Paredes and was tagged for six runs on eight hits over five innings in his third start for the staggering Mets.
Mets rookie Kodai Senga is scheduled to start the middle game of the series tonight, as lefty Josh Fleming goes for Tampa Bay. First pitch from Citi Field is set for 7:10pm.
