ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — First came the tears and then, two days later, a game-winning home run in the 12th inning.
Next came the key hits and smooth defensive plays, most of them preceded or followed by standing ovations from Mets fans who were slowly realizing what they had come so close to losing.
So it was anything but surprising when Wilmer Flores — the Mets’ emotional young infielder with a newly found flair for the dramatic — hit an opposite-field single to drive in the winning run of the Mets’ 4-3 comeback win over the Rays on Friday night that pushed their lead in the National League East to two and a half games.