▶ New York gains ground in wild-card chase, and denies Tampa Bay from clinching AL East title.

Tampa Bay seeks AL East clincher, N.Y. a playoff spot

Pete Alonso and the New York Mets prevented Tampa Bay from clinching the AL East crown Tuesday night, beating the Rays 5-2 behind three home runs and Seth Lugo’s bounce-back pitching performance.

Robinson Cano, Alonso and newcomer Guillermo Heredia went deep for the Mets, desperately trying to stay in the National League playoff chase with five games now remaining in the regular season. New York began the day three games out of the final postseason spot, but made up a little ground when Philadelphia was swept in a doubleheader by Washington.

A handful of other teams are in front of the Mets, too, though.

Tampa Bay’s situation is much simpler. Already assured a playoff berth and needing just one win or a New York Yankees loss to secure their first division title in 10 years, the Rays sent 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to the mound Tuesday hoping to wrap things up.

Snell (4-2) struck out nine and threw a seasonhigh 108 pitches in 52/3 innings. But he gave up three runs and six hits, including solo homers by Cano and Alonso.

Meanwhile, the Yankees routed Toronto 12-1 — so Tampa Bay’s party was put on hold. Tyler Glasnow gets the ball in the series finale Wednesday night.

Alonso, who entered batting .202, also had a run-scoring single and finished with three RBIS.

Lugo (3-3) allowed two runs, one earned, and four hits in 61/3 innings as he rebounded from a dreadful start last week in Philadelphia. He struck out seven and walked one.

Justin Wilson and Chasen Shreve, who fanned all three batters in the eighth, provided scoreless relief before Edwin Diaz got three outs for his fifth save.

Willy Adames hit an early solo homer for the Rays.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Snell is scheduled to start the team’s first playoff game next Tuesday. Glasnow will follow, and then Charlie Morton if the best-of-three series goes the distance. All three would be on two extra days of rest.

Trainer’s room

Mets right fielder Michael Conforto (left hamstring tightness) could return to the lineup Wednesday, manager Luis Rojas said.

Jim Mcisaac / Getty Images Pete Alonso, left, celebrates his fourth-inning home run against the Rays with Mets teammate Robinson Cano. With five games left, Mets playoff hopes are slim, but they’re not eliminated.