ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist homered Tuesday night, helping the surging Rays continue their improbable chase for the AL wild card with a 5-3 victory over the Yankees on Tuesday night.

The Rays, seeking their third playoff berth in four seasons, began the night tied with Boston after making up nine games in the standings since Sept. 4.

Joyce’s three-run homer off former teammate Rafael Soriano (2-3) was the All-Star’s first in more than three weeks and wiped out a 3-2 deficit in the seventh. Zobrist hit a two-run drive off Bartolo Colon in the second, and the Rays kept the score close by turning the third triple play in franchise history after falling behind in the sixth.