Mets' Stock Earns First MLB Win in Seven Years as New York Beats Rays 3-2

Stock Ends Long Winless Drought

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Robert Stock finally secured his first major league victory in seven years, pitching shutout ball into the sixth inning as the New York Mets topped the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Monday night.

Stock's previous win came on April 5, 2019, when he pitched for the San Diego Padres under manager Andy Green, who now leads the Mets. According to MLB's Sarah Langs, this is only the fourth time in league history that a pitcher has gone more than seven calendar years between wins under the same manager.

The right-hander signed a minor league deal with the Mets before the season and reinvented himself as a sidearmer after his fastball velocity dipped, with stops in the KBO and Mexican Leagues along the way. He earned his way back into the rotation because of injuries and, despite a 7.40 ERA in his first five starts, kept Tampa Bay scoreless for 5.1 innings, issuing no walks and four strikeouts.

"It's really cool," Stock said on the SNY broadcast with Chelsea Janes. "It takes a whole team to win the game, and you saw that tonight with how great our defense was, how good our hitters were in the second half of the game. It's great when you step back, and you look at how long it's been. I can both feel good about the team and myself."

Mets Snap Skid at Tropicana Field

The Mets, who entered the day in last place in the American League East, ended Tampa Bay's four-game winning streak and also ended an eight-game skid at Tropicana Field, where New York had lost 6 in a row and 11 of 13 to the Rays overall.

Mark Vientos, back from the injured list, homered in the victory. Francisco Alvarez added an RBI single, and left fielder Christopher Morel made two pivotal defensive plays as the Mets built their lead.

Tampa Bay pulled within one run when Liam Hicks and Chandler Simpson each drove in an RBI single with two outs in the eighth inning, bringing the score to 3-2. Kodai Senga then worked a scoreless ninth for his fifth save, sealing the result.

Tampa Bay came into the game with the best record in the American League at 82-55 and a 4 1/2-game lead in the division over the New York Yankees, but could not hold off the Mets' combined effort.