Cardinals Rely on Baker, Hold on in 9th for Win

The Palm Beach Cardinals leaned on a highly effective Trent Baker outing, before surviving a ninth-inning scare from the Jupiter Hammerheads to win 3-2 on Thursday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

The starting pitcher from Austin, Tex. tossed seven scoreless frames in front of 1,138 fans in Jupiter, striking out four batters and allowing just five baserunners. The Angelo State University product moves to 7-7 in 2022 while lowering his ERA to 3.19 on the season.

Hayes Heinecke took a hold out of the bullpen in spite of allowing a pair of ninth-inning runs, delivering one and 2/3 innings before Andrew Marrero claimed a one-out save with the Hammerheads' go-ahead runners in scoring position.

The Cardinals struck first on a bases-loaded hit by pitch induced by center fielder and 2022 draft class member Victor Scott. A two-out, two-run single from Thomas Francisco in the fourth would prove to be the decisive swing as Palm Beach took a 3-0 lead.

The Beach Birds' win was their fourth straight on Thursday, which includes a trio of successive victories over their in-stadium neighbors. Palm Beach has not trailed once so far in this series against Jupiter. The Cardinals improve to 50-47 overall and 20-13 in the second half of the Florida State League season. They extend their second half divisional lead to three games and can clinch both the week's six-game series as well as the overall season series over the Hammerheads with a win in any of the series' remaining three games.

The teams are next in action Friday night at 6:30 p.m. It will be Nurses Appreciation Night presented by South University. In addition, fans can stay after the game for a screening of Encanto on the outfield video screen!

For Thursday night's box score, click here!