Mets clip Tortugas 3-2, claim series victory

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (September 9, 2023) – The St. Lucie Mets edged the Daytona Tortugas 3-2 on Saturday night at Clover Park in the penultimate game of the 2023 season. The Mets have won three of four to take the series.

Four Mets pitchers combined to limit the Tortugas to two runs on six hits.

Calvin Ziegler made his first start of the season. He pitched the first inning and struck out the side. Ziegler, the Mets second round draft pick in 2021, had missed all season with injuries but was able to work his way back to into game action.

Nolan McLean pitched the next two innings scoreless. He walked one, struck out one and allowed one hit. It was the second game for McLean on the mound, who was drafted out of Oklahoma State in the third round this year as a two-way player. McLean has also served as a DH in two other games.

Douglas Orellana pitched the next 4.0 innings to get the win. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits. He walked one and struck out eight.

The game was scoreless through five innings. The Tortugas broke through for a run in the sixth when Ethan O’Donnell stole second base, went to third on a throwing error and scored on an Orellana wild pitch.

The Mets immediately answered in the bottom of the sixth when the first four batters recorded hits against new pitcher Bryce Hubbart. Nick Morabito tied the game with a RBI double and Ronald Hernandez followed with a two-run double for a 3-1 lead.

The Tortugas cut their deficit to 3-2 in the seventh inning on a run-scoring ground out from Dominic Pitelli.

Dakota Hawkins worked around a single and a wild pitch to start the eighth inning by retiring three in a row.

Cam Collier singled with one out in the ninth and took second base on an error. Hawkins got Yerlin Confidan to line out to right field for the second out. Eric Foggo relieved Hawkins and got Pitelli to ground out sharply to Jefrey De Los Santos at second base to end the game.

Foggo was credited his third save of the season and second of the series. Both saves this week have been one-out saves.

Daytona starter Gabriel Aguilera pitched 5.0 shutout innings with seven strikeouts.

De Los Santos and Morabito had two hits apiece for the Mets.

The Mets (44-83, 20-42) and Tortugas (55-72, 26-36) conclude the 2023 season on Sunday. First pitch at Clover Park is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. There will be a pregame 9/11 ceremony.