NEW YORK _ Blake Snell added to his All-Star credentials with another stellar outing Saturday as the Rays beat the Mets, 3-0.
Snell worked, impressively, into the eighth, allowing six hits and three walks while striking out nine, lowering his ERA to 2.09, currently second best in the American League, with a 12-4 record. Over his last 10 starts, he has been even better, 8-1 with a 1.27 ERA.
Snell was taken out with one out in the eighth Saturday, then Diego Castillo, Jose Alvarado and Sergio Romo teamed for the final five outs.
If Snell is headed to Washington for the July 17 All-Star Game, he should have company as Rays catcher Wilson Ramos is expected to win the fan vote as the starter.
They certainly worked well together Saturday, plus Ramos had a hand in all three runs.
The offensive support didn't come easy, but the Rays did get back to .500 at 44-44.
The Rays had runners in scoring position every inning until breaking through in the fifth. Matt Duffy led off with a double to right, moved to third on Daniel Robertson's well-executed ground ball and scored when Mets shortstop Amed Rosario, playing in, couldn't cleanly handle a hot shot from Ramos and had to take the out at first instead.
The Rays added on in the eighth, though, in what was kind of the theme of the day, could have had more. They got off to a good start, as Robertson was hit by a pitch and Ramos singled. But strikeouts by pinch-hitter Jake Bauers and Adeiny Hechavarria left it up to Carlos Gomez, and he delivered.
Gomez blooped a single into shallow left that bounced by Michael Conforto, allowing Robertson to score. Ramos moved to third and Gomez, after tripping going around first, moved to second, but they got no more.
They did add a run in the ninth when Joey Wendle led off with a single, moved up on Duffy's walk and scored on a single by Ramos.
The Rays and Mets wrap up the series with a 1:10 Sunday matinee, Nathan Eovaldi facing Triple-A call-up Chris Flexen.
