Benge hits first pro homer, Mets clip Hammerheads 4-2

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (August 27, 2024) – The St. Lucie Mets opened their series against the Jupiter Hammerheads with a 4-2 victory on Tuesday night at Clover Park.

Mets first round draft pick Carson Benge slugged his first professional home run when he lifted an opposite field two-run shot in the first inning to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.

Mets starter Edgar Moreta limited the Hammerheads to two runs and four hits over 6.0 innings to earn his first win. Moreta walked one and struck out seven. The 6.0 innings matched a career-high that Moreta set last week.

Kyle Crick (calf) continued his minor league rehab assignment with a scoreless seventh inning.

Layonel Ovalles closed out the game by firing 2.0 scoreless innings. Ovalles struck out three and picked up his first save. In the eighth inning Ovalles struck out consecutive hitters with two in scoring position to maintain the Mets 4-2 lead. He tossed a 1-2-3 ninth.

The three Mets pitchers held the Hammerheads to 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

After Benge provided the Mets a 2-0 lead, the Hammerheads got a run back when Connor Caskenette doubled and was driven home on a single by Eric Rataczak to make it 2-1 in the third inning.

The Mets loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the third inning against Jupiter starter Liomar Martinez. Julio Mendez replaced Martinez and only allowed a run-scoring ground out by Colin Houck to limit the damage to one run and a 3-1 Mets lead.

Jacob Jenkins-Cowart ripped a solo homer off Moreta in the fourth inning to make it 3-2. Later in the inning with two runners on, Moreta induced a double play to escape trouble.

The Hammerheads loaded the bases against Moreta in the sixth on a leadoff single and two hit batters but Moreta buckled down and struck out Jordan McCants and got a ground out from Caskenette to keep the Mets up a run.

Eli Serrano double with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning and scored on RBI single by Nick Roselli for the Mets final run.

Benge was 2 for 4 with the home run, two RBI and two runs.

Jett Williams (wrist) continued his minor league rehab assignment and reached base three times on a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch while serving as the DH.

Mets catcher Daiverson Gutierrez was 1 for 3 with a double in his St. Lucie debut.

The Mets (19-34, 41-78) and Hammerheads (25-28, 61-58) play the second game of their series at Clover Park on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. Silver Sluggers can get tickets for $5.