Faltine Homers, Lorant Strong, But St. Lucie Wins in Ninth

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—Trey Faltine blasted a home run and Nestor Lorant struck out seven over 5.0 strong innings, but the St. Lucie Mets pushed across the go-ahead run in the top the ninth as they defeated the Daytona Tortugas on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

St. Lucie (14-27, 36-71) had all three of their RBIs collected by 2024 draftees making their professional debuts, while Daytona (22-18, 53-53) pitching struck out 14 batters, but couldn’t find enough offense to pull through.

The first two and a half innings flew by as neither team had a baserunner early on. St. Lucie starter Saul Garcia retired the first eight batters faced until the bottom of the third, when with two outs, Faltine jumped on a first-pitch fastball and cranked it 409 feet out to left field, putting the Tortugas up 1-0.

Lorant, meanwhile, retired the first ten batters he faced, until Boston Baro rolled a weak double up the left field line with one out in the fourth. Two batters, Eli Serrano lined a single to center to score Baro, tying the game.

Daytona threatened with a pair of one-out singles in the fourth, but Garcia induced a pair of fielder’s choice groundouts to quash the threat, keeping the score 1-1.

Lorant then worked around a one-out hit in the fifth, striking out two in the frame as he ended his night on a high note. Lorant went 5.0 innings, striking out seven and allowing just one run on three hits with no walks, though he had to settle for a no-decision.

Cole Schoenwetter entered in the sixth for the Tortugas and allowed a leadoff single, but picked up a strikeout and erased the single on a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

In the seventh, he started off the inning in strong fashion, striking out the first two batters he faced. However, he walked A.J. Ewing with two outs, then Jacoby Long laced a triple to left-center, scoring Ewing to put the Mets in front 2-1.

An inning later, the deficit threatened to grow after two walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs. Schoenwetter, though, induced a lineout, then struck out the final two batters of the inning, ending his night with six strikeouts over 3.0 innings of work.

St. Lucie remained in front into the bottom of the eighth, where the first two Tortugas were retired by Anthony Nunez. However, Ariel Almonte walked and went to third on an Esmith Pineda single. With two outs and two strikes, Jack Moss lined a single to left, scoring Almonte to tie the game. Another walk loaded the bases, but a foulout to the catcher ended the inning with the game now knotted 2-2.

In the ninth, Drew Pestka came on for the Tortugas and started the inning with a strikeout, but issued back-to-back walks. Nick Rosselli followed with a single to center, scoring a Long to break the deadlock as St. Lucie went back in front 3-2.

Daytona proceeded to go down 1-2-3 in the ninth against Juan Arnaud as St. Lucie took the series opener.

Daytona will have play game two of the series against the St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Tomorrow will be a Belly Buster Wednesday with all-you-care-to-eat hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, and Little Ceasar’s Pizza starting at just $17. Gates will open at 5:30 with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network and MiLB.tv/Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin at 6:20.