ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Richie Shaffer didn't get the silent treatment after his second career home run, but he did get another Gatorade bath.

Shaffer, who was called up from Triple-A Durham last week, hit the go-ahead home run in the bottom of the seventh inning and scored three runs to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-3 win against the New York Mets on Sunday at Tropicana Field.

The win gets the Rays (56-56) back to .500 for the season.

"He started me off with a couple of breaking balls," Shaffer said. "I was just looking for it out over the plate and sure enough I got it, put a good swing on it and didn't miss. I was pretty pumped, so it was awesome, it was a great feeling. I actually got to high five everyone this time, instead of making my own friends."

Rays starter Chris Archer settled down after a wild second inning and gave up three runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out 11 but walked four -- all in the second inning -- on 116 pitches (72 strikes).

"I don't want to talk about myself too much but this past series, these past few games that we've played, we've been playing really, really well," Archer said. "We're pitching close to how we were early and obviously playing great D and the hitting is starting to show."

Xavier Cedeno pitched the seventh inning and got the win, and Jake McGee recorded his sixth save of the season.

"Outside of that one inning he showed why he might be the best pitcher in the American League," Mets manager Terry Collins said of Archer. "We knew we wouldn't have many opportunities against him."

Designated hitter Shaffer, who was called up from Triple-A Durham last week, gave the Rays a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo shot to left-center field off Mets starter Bartolo Colon (10-11).

"I think the pitch ended up in the middle and we were trying to run it up on his hands," Mets catcher Kevin Plawecki said. "Just left it out there a little and he took advantage of it."

The Mets (59-52) took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second when Archer walked designated hitter Curtis Granderson with the bases loaded and gave up a two-run single to second baseman Daniel Murphy.

Tampa Bay rallied with a run in the bottom of the third when Shaffer scored on a sacrifice fly by left fielder John Jaso.

Jaso tied the game in the fifth inning by hitting a two-run double off Colon that scored Shaffer and center fielder Brandon Guyer.

"(These comebacks) show more or less that we're capable of doing a lot of special things," Cash said. "When these games get down longer into the season -- and I don't know if they count more or less, whatever, but there's more atmosphere outside -- we're prepared for them before we've played a lot of tight ball games and we've proven we can come back."

Colon gave up four runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings on 83 pitches (60 strikes). Rays relievers Cedeno, Steve Geltz and McGee combined to give up two hits and strike out four in three innings.

"I made one mistake to a hitter and I paid for it," Colon said through an interpreter. "I've been working fine and I'm happy with my performance even though we lost. I've been working, tweaking some things in the bullpen and back on track. Hopefully we can get back on track as a team and win some games."

NOTES: Rays OF Desmond Jennings (knee bursitis) was scheduled to play at least five innings in left field Sunday for Triple-A Durham. ... Mets OF Michael Cuddyer went 0-for-4 with a walk in his rehab assignment game for Class A Port St. Lucie on Saturday. Cuddyer is expected to rejoin the Mets on Monday. Mets manager Terry Collins said Cuddyer's return doesn't guarantee him playing time. "It will all be dictated on play," Collins said. "If you hit, you're in there every day." ... Rays C Curt Casali (head contusion) was not in the lineup Sunday after being removed from Saturday's game when he was hit in the temple on a swing by Mets C Travis D'Arnaud. Casali said D'Arnaud apologized through a text message.