Stone Crabs break all-time attendance record in matchup with Mets, Tebow

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (July 29, 2017) - The Charlotte Stone Crabs set a new franchise record for attendance Saturday, as 7,515 people watched Tim Tebow and the St. Lucie Mets beat the Stone Crabs 10-3 at Charlotte Sports Park.
The Stone Crabs' previous high in attendance was 7,492, which occurred on July 3, 2010 when they beat the Bradenton Marauders 6-1. Saturday marked the fifth time in team history that the attendance climbed over seven thousand.
The record-setting crowd enjoyed an eventful first few innings. In the top of the first, St. Lucie (48-56, 15-21) second baseman Michael Paez walked with one out. Peter Alonso followed by doubling to the wall in center to score Paez and give the Mets a 1-0 lead.
Stone Crabs (49-54, 18-16) designated hitter Daniel Robertson began the bottom of the first by pulling a single to left. Two batters later, Ryan Boldt yanked an RBI triple to the right field corner to tie the game at one. Brandon Lowe followed by crushing a double off the wall in center to plate Boldt and give Charlotte a 2-1 lead.
However, the lead was short-lived. Mets right fielder Wuilmer Becerra singled to center before a J.C. Rodriguez double pushed him to third. After another Paez walk, Alonso launched a grand slam to left to give the Mets a 5-2 lead. Jhoan Urena followed with a solo shot, extending St. Lucie's advantage to 6-2.
After the Mets tacked on another run in the top of the third, Robertson singled before Angel Moreno drew a walk that pushed Robertson to second. Three batters later, Kevin Padlo sprayed a double to right that scored Robertson to make the scoe 7-3.
St. Lucie tacked on three more runs in the seventh when Tebow smacked an opposite field three-run home run to left to cap the scoring.
Mets starter Andrew Church (8-7) worked seven innings of three-run ball, allowing six hits and one walk while fanning four. Stone Crabs lefty Brock Burke (2-4) took the loss while allowing seven runs in 2.2 innings.
The Stone Crabs and Mets will meet again Sunday at 12:35 p.m. Coverage begins at 12:20 p.m. on the Stone Crabs Baseball Network.