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Palm Beach Claims 2024 FSL Championship with a 6-4 Victory over Lakeland in Game Three

It is the 3rd title in franchise history and first since 2017 after being named co-champions with Dunedin
By Brennan Erlandsen
September 19, 2024

JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals claimed their third Florida State League Championship, and second title all to themselves, after they defeated the Lakeland Flying Tigers 6-4 in a winner-take-all game three on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The Cardinals earned the co-championship in 2017 with Dunedin

JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals claimed their third Florida State League Championship, and second title all to themselves, after they defeated the Lakeland Flying Tigers 6-4 in a winner-take-all game three on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The Cardinals earned the co-championship in 2017 with Dunedin and won their first title back in 2005 defeating Lakeland 3-2 in a best-of-five series.

Palm Beach starting pitcher Chen-Wei Lin was only able to pitch a scoreless top of the first inning because in the bottom of the frame, off of Lakeland starting pitcher Gabriel Reyes, with Bryce Madron at second base on a single and an error, Josh Kross came to the plate and the rain and lightning joined the ballpark and forced a delay.

After a two-hour and 34-minute rain delay, Kross drew a walk against new Lakeland pitcher Duque Hebbert. With runners at first and second base and two outs, Ian Petrutz smacked a two-RBI double to right-center field to put Palm Beach on the scoreboard first and lead 2-0.

The Cardinals added to their lead in the bottom of the second inning off of Lakeland reliever Hayden Minton. With the bases loaded and one out, Ryan Campos came into score on an RBI fielder’s choice hit by Madron and Palm Beach led 3-0.

After Leonel Sequera came out of the Palm Beach bullpen and tossed two scoreless innings, he ran into trouble in his third relief inning when Lakeland got on the scoreboard for the first time in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs and Jose De La Cruz at second base, Franyerber Montilla hit an RBI single to center field to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 3-1. Sequera finished his relief outing with 2 2/3 innings and one run allowed.

Gerardo Salas came out of the bullpen for the first time all season in relief of Sequera. In the top of the fifth inning, Nomar Faña hit a single and then Jack Penney hit his first career home run, a two-run shot to center field which tied the game at 3-3.

Two innings later, in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cardinals decided to capitalize on a mistake. Campos led off the frame reaching on a fielding error by Josue Briceño and Jon Jon Gazdar walked to put two runners on base. Later with two outs, Madron delivered an RBI double to give Palm Beach the lead once again. Then, JJ Wetherholt crushed a two-RBI triple to center field to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 6-3. It was the first professional triple for the top prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system.

Lakeland wasn’t quite done in the top of the eighth inning against Nolan Sparks (W, 1-0) in his third inning of relief work. Jack Penney hit a solo home run, his second of the game, to center field which cut the Palm Beach lead to 6-4. Sparks ended his outing with a career-high 2 2/3 innings pitched with a run allowed and struck out five batters.

Luis Gastelum (Sv, 1) was tasked with getting the final four outs which he would do and record three strikeouts in a redemption outing to close out the championship series and secure Palm Beach’s third FSL title in franchise history winning 6-4 in game three on Wednesday night.

Madron led all Cardinals hitters after he went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored with Wetherholt notching the game-winning RBIs. Campos also scored two runs in the victory.

The Beach Birds finished the regular season with a franchise-record 83 wins in their 21st season and claimed the FSL East Division title in both halves. Zack Showalter, Chen-Wei Lin, Darlin Saladin, and Miguel Villarroel were the four Cardinals named to the 2024 FSL All-Star Team. Palm Beach manager Gary Kendall was named the 2024 FSL Manager of the Year, which is the first time he has won manager of the year across his 20-year coaching career and has led the Beach Birds to the playoffs in all three seasons at the helm.

Thank you to all Palm Beach Cardinals fans for an amazing 2024 season! None of this is possible without the support of everyone who attended the games, listened to the broadcasts, and followed the team every step of the way all season long. Be sure to follow the Palm Beach Cardinals on social media and visit the team website for all upcoming announcements. The 2025 Florida State League regular season begins on Friday, April 4th for Opening Day as the Palm Beach Cardinals and the Jupiter Hammerheads face off at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

About Jupiter Stadium, LTD:

Opening in 1998, the 110-acre complex/stadium is specially designed to house two Major League and two Minor League Baseball Teams. The stadium is home to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals for Spring Training. The Florida State League’s Jupiter Hammerheads (Class A Affiliate of the Miami Marlins) and Palm Beach Cardinals (Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) make their home at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium from April through September. This year-round facility can accommodate the smallest birthday party to the largest corporate outing, while never forgetting that each and every fan is our most important product.

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