New York Mets at Tampa Bay Rays: Time, how to live stream Game 1 of MLB series

Can the 16-15 New York Mets beat the 14-18 Tampa Bay Rays — last in the AL East — on the road?

LATEST: Watch the Mets and Rays Game 2 on Saturday, May 4.

You can find out on Friday night, May 3, when the two teams clash at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The game is scheduled to start at 6:50 p.m. EDT and will air on SNY and Bally Sports Sun and live stream on DirecTV Stream (free trial, introductory discount).

Here’s the DraftKings Sportsbook line: TB -132, NYM +114; over/under is 8

New York pulled off an 11th inning 7-6 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night to split their series at Citi Field before heading on the road. Francisco Lindor delivered a pair of two-run doubles off the bench to rally the Mets to the win.

Right fielder Starling Marte made two rocket throws in extra innings, cutting down Cubs runners at the plate to end the 10th and 11th. Brandon Nimmo had two RBIs for the Mets, who overcame a 4-0 deficit to salvage a 3-4 homestand.

“It was exciting,” Marte said through an interpreter. “Whenever we make plays like that, it always gives us a boost offensively.”

• WATCH: SNY and Bally Sports on DirecTV Stream (free trial, introductory discount).

Daniel Palencia (0-1) drilled Harrison Bader with a pitch to begin the bottom of the 11th. Lindor then lashed a sharp grounder inside third base and down the left-field line to score automatic runner Brett Baty and Bader.

Lindor didn’t start after leaving Wednesday night’s game early with flu-like symptoms — so that he wouldn’t “throw up” or “go number two” at shortstop.

“Not a lot of sleep. Not a lot of fluid in my body. But I’m good,” a tired Lindor said with a smile at his locker. “I was ready.”

Lindor said he received IV fluids and took nausea medicine to combat a virus that also afflicted his wife, daughter and teammate Joey Wendle recently.

“It’s just part of the grind, part of being a big leaguer,” Lindor said. “Today I was a role player.”

Nick Madrigal gave Chicago a 6-5 lead in the top of the 11th with a run-scoring double on the first pitch from Danny Young (1-0), who earned his first major league win in his Mets debut.

“I kind of knew the situation. I was kind of the last guy down there so we were either going to win or lose, but I was probably going to be the guy with the ball at the end,” Young said. “Defense bailed me out. Marte bailed me out.”

• WATCH: SNY and Bally Sports on DirecTV Stream (free trial, introductory discount).

Mets closer Edwin Díaz retired all five batters he faced in his first outing of more than one inning since missing last season following knee surgery.

Christopher Morel hit a three-run homer for the Cubs, who stole six bases. Pete Crow-Armstrong, traded by the Mets in July 2021 a year after they drafted him in the first round, had two RBIs.

New York catchers have thrown out only one runner attempting to steal this season.

“There was a lot that happened in the game,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said, “and we just end up coming up short.”

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