“The ball slipped out like a wet bar of soap,” play-by-play man Andy Freed said on the Rays’ TV broadcast, which was a great description and made sense since the game had started after a 51-minute rain delay and the ball could have been a little wet.

Tampa Bay Rays (38-32, second in the AL East) vs. New York Mets (45-26, first in the NL East) New York; Sunday, 1:40 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Shane Baz (5-3, 4.97 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 65 strikeouts);

Mets Highlights It was a rare off-night for the Mets bullpen as they squandered a 5-1 lead, falling to Tampa Bay 7-5. Paul Blackburn allowed four runs in